o 

CO 

o 


MUSEUM 


TOGETHER  WITH  ...MANY 

ILLUSTRATIONS 

R*RUSSELL«W«  NEW  YORK 


>- 


DUKR  OF  RICHMOND. 


ANTONY  VAN  DYCK. 


/^TREASURES  of 
The  JHetropoIttan  JWuseum 
OF  A  RT  O  F  NEW  YORK 

Described     By    ARTHUR     HOEBER 
Together    With    Many    Illustrations 


R.H.RUSSELL     PUBLISHER 
NEW     YORK      MDCCCX    C    I    X 


ACKNOWLEDGMENT 

SOME  of  the  matter  in  this  book  ap- 
peared originally  as  a  series  of  articles 
in  the    Commercial  Advertiser,  of  New 
York,  of  which  the  author  is  the  art  critic. 
It  has  been  revised  and  corrected  up  to  date, 
and  is  republished  by  courteous  permission 
of  The  Commercial  Advertiser  Association. 


Copyright,  1 8  p  p ,   by   ROBERT  HOWARD   RUSSELL  New   Tork 


CONTENTS.- 


CHAPTER.  PAGE. 

INTRODUCTION,               ...>...  7 

MODELS  OF  BUILDINGS  AND  ARCHITECTURAL  CASTS,  .       12 

MODERN  SCULPTURE,              ...            .            .            .  18 

SCULPTURE  AND  PLASTER  CASTS,       .                        .            .  .26 

ANTIQUITIES  FROM  EGYPT  AND  CYPRUS,          ...  35 

GREEK,  ETRUSCAN  AND  ROMAN  ANTIQUITIES,     .             .  .       43 

THE  PAINTINGS,             .            .            .            .            .            .            .  53 

EARLY  ENGLISHMEN,        .......       65 

THE  FRENCH  PAINTERS,        ......  74 

EUROPEAN  PAINTERS,        .            .            .            .            .            .  .92 

EARLIER  AMERICAN  PAINTERS,     .                        .            .            .  105 

MODERN  AMERICAN  PAINTERS, 116 

DRAWINGS  AND  ETCHINGS, 130 

WASHINGTON,  FRANKLIN  AND  LAFAYETTE  COLLECTION,  141 


252603 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER.  PAGE. 

THE  PORCELAINS,         ...            .            .  .            .            .150 

ARMS  AND  ARMOR,             .            .            .  .            .            .             .160 

FANS,  EMBROIDERIES  AND  TAPESTRIES,  .            .             168 

GOLD  AND  SILVER  ROOM,           .            .  .            .             .      179 

AMERICAN  ANTIQUITIES,       .            .            .  .            .             .             194 

MUSICAL  INSTRUMENTS,              ....  .202 


THE  NEW  WING. 


INTRODUCTION. 


F  familiarity  does  not  always  breed  con- 
tempt,   it    sometimes    causes    indifference. 
There    are.  thousands   of    people    in    New 
York  who  are  perfectly  well  aware  of  the 
fact  that  there  exists  a  public  art  museum 
of  exceptionally  high  character,  charmingly 
situated  in  a  beautiful  park,  easy  of  access 
and  offering  almost  untold  enjoyment    to 
the  eye  and  mind.    Annually  these  people 
promise  themselves  the  pleasure  of  a  visit,  but,  save  when  some 
out  of  town  guests  make  a  special  request  to  go,  the  visit  is 
postponed  from  time  to  time,  if  ever  again  thought  of  for  the 


8  INTRODUCTION 

year,  and  the  resolution  adds  another  stone  to  the  pavement  of 
a  place  where  it  is  popularly  supposed  art  does  not  flourish  and 
the  good  is  absent. 

However,  if  the  citizen  neglects  the  opportunities  offered  by 
the  Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art,  with  all  its  manifest  treas- 
ures, the  loss  is  distinctly  his,  and  the  visitor  from  other  cities, 
who  comes  as  a  matter  of  duty,  is  the  gainer.  There  is  hardly 
anything  in  an  art  way  that  does  not  find  some  form  of  expres- 
sion in  this  admirably  arranged  storehouse  of  the  beautiful,  and 
the  student,  the  connoisseur,  the  dilettante,  or  the  humble 
workman  whose  knowledge  of  art  is  limited  to  a  stray  chromo 
or  the  pictures  in  the  Sunday  papers,  may  all  find  something 
appealing,  something  educational,  and,  in  most  cases,  a  perfect 
wealth  of  material  with  which  to  refresh  the  eye  and  mind.  Only 
those  who  have  given  the  matter  attention  can  grasp  the  com- 
pleteness of  this  museum;  only  students  of  special  subjects  know 
how  profoundly  the  trustees  have  gone  into  almost  every  field 
of  art,  and  only  those  who  have  intimate  relations  with  the 
treasures  of  the  building  can  appreciate  the  completeness  of  the 
various  collections,  the  care  bestowed  and  the  authoritative 
arrangement  of  the  various  ramifications  in  an  art  way  that  are 
within  the  reach  of  every  one,  without  money  and  without  price. 
For  the  benefit  of  such  as  have  not  given  heed  to  the  chances  at 
their  disposition,  it  is  proposed  to  give  an  account  of  the  many 
things  arranged  in  consecutive  order  for  reference;  to  describe 
the  pictures  and  the  statuary,  and  to  explain  to  the  layman  the 
artistic  merits  of  the  various  exhibits.  We  may  tell  why  some  of 
these  things  are  fine  and  why  they  are  valued  by  the  critics,  and, 


INTRODUCTION  9 

in  a  word,  have  a  talk  on  the  collection  and  provide  a  guide  for 
the  general  visitor,  who  has  possibly  given  less  attention  to  art 
matters  than  has  the  writer. 

As  has  been  said,  the  scope  of  the  Museum  is  most  compre- 
hensive. In  art  matters,  from  the  earliest  beginnings  to  the 
latest  word  in  foreign  or  domestic  work,  record  is  kept  here. 
The  archaic  Egyptian,  or  the  up  to  date  impressionist,  can  be 
studied  here;  the  masters  of  the  Spanish,  Dutch,  Italian  or  Ger- 
man schools  may  be  compared,  while  the  first  of  the  Colonial 
American  portrait  painters  can  be  seen  in  all  their  sturdiness. 
There  are  statues  and  plaster  reproductions  of  the  masters  of 
Greek  and  Roman  art,  and  there  are  models  of  famous  build- 
ings, churches  and  monuments  of  the  highest  importance  and 
interest.  But  the  list  does  not  stop  here,  for  the  delicacy  of 
the  goldsmith's  and  the  iron  and  steel  worker's  art  is  displayed ; 
the  gems  of  the  looms  of  France  and  other  European  countries 
are  on  exhibition,  in  fine  and  delicate  textiles,  and  there  are 
ceramics  to  make  the  collector's  heart  glad.  The  history  of 
music  is  told  in  a  collection  of  instruments,  from  the  first  inven- 
tions of  man  in  a  savage  state  to  the  most  modern  make,  and 
there  are  drawings,  photographs  and  materials  of  all  sorts  bear- 
ing on  various  branches  of  matters  aesthetic.  In  short,  no  form 
of  art  work  has  been  neglected  where  it  has  been  possible  to 
procure  a  specimen. 

A  short  history  of  the  Museum  will  be  of  interest.  It  was 
founded  in  1870  by  a  little  band  of  puLlic  spirited  men  and  sus- 
tained out  of  their  private  purses,  and  was  first  installed  at  68 1 
Fifth  avenue.  In  1872  it  was  removed  to  128  West  Fourteenth 


jo  INTRODUCTION 

street,  in  a  large  double  house  known  as  the  Cruger  Mansion, 
opposite  the  old  Twenty-second  Regiment  Armory,  which  was 
leased  for  a  number  of  years  by  the  trustees.  Here  a  picture  gal- 
lery was  built,  and  the  spaciousness  of  the  building  permitted  a 
fair  showing  of  the  treasures  already  possessed  or  loaned.  In 
April,  1871,  the  State  Legislature  passed  a  bill  appropriating  the 
sum  of  half  a  million  of  dollars  with  which  to  erect  a  suitable 
building  in  the  Central  Park  for  the  purpose  of  maintaining 
therein  a  museum  and  gallery  of  art.  In  April,  1876,  the  Legis- 
lature authorized  the  Department  of  Public  Parks  to  ma'ke  and 
enter  into  a  contract  with  the  Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art  for 
the  occupation  of  the  building  which  wras  then  being  erected, 
and  on  the  24th  of  December,  1878,  the  trustees  took  possession 
of  the  structure.  All  the  property  of  the  Museum  was  removed 
from  Fourteenth  street,  and  on  the  3Oth  of  March  the  new 
building  was  formally  opened  with  appropriate  ceremonies  by 
the  President  of  the  United  States,  Rutherford  B.  Hayes.  Gen- 
eral L.  P.  di  Cesnola  has  for  long  been  managing  director. 

Many  people  have  presented  collections  and  individual  be- 
qu^sts,  among  them  being  the  late  Miss  Catharine  Wolfe. 
During  her  life  she  manifested  great  interest  in  the  institution, 
and  at  her  death  she  bequeathed  all  her  fine  pictures, 
together  with  the  sum  of  $200,000,  the  interest  of  which 
was  to  be  used  for  the  preservation  and  the  increase  of 
the  collection.  Two  rotmis  are  given  up  to  her  pictures,  and 
from  time  to  time  additions  have  been  made,  until  they  now 
number  150  canvases.  Henry  G.  Marquand  has  given  a  room 
full  of  superb  old  masters  and  pictures  of  the  English  school 


INTRODUCTION  n 

and  he  is  continually  adding  to  the  collection,  while  Mrs.  Eliza- 
beth LL  Coles  and  George  A.  Hearn  have  each  been  most  gen- 
erous in  donations.  An  account  of  all  these  pictures  will  fol- 
low, though  it  is  impossible  to  specify  by  name  all  the  public 
spirited  people  who  have  donated  works  of  art. 

An  admission  fee  of  twenty-five  cents  is  charged  on  Mondays 
and  Fridays  only ;  on  all  other  days  and  every  night  the  museum 
is  open  to  the  public  free.  There  is  a  restaurant  connected 
therewith,  where  meals  are  served  at  moderate  prices.  The 
building  is  on  the  east  side  of  Central  Park,  at  Eighty-second 
street  (the  entrance  gate  of  Seventy-ninth  street  leading  there- 
to), and  may  be  easily  reached  by  the  various  elevated  roads, 
or  by  a  stage  route  up  Fifth  avenue;  a  short  walk  through 
the  park  from  Fifty-ninth  street,  up  the  Mall,  by  the  lakes,  is 
quite  worth  the  trouble,  for  the  beauty  of  the  landscape,  the 
picturesqueness  of  the  gardening  and  the  flowering  shrubs  and 
bushes  combine  to  produce  a  highly  attractive  scene.  For 
those  who  care  to  come  by  bicycle,  arrangements  are  made  to 
check  wheels  in  the  basement  of  the  building.  Thus  it  will  be 
seen  that  there  is  little  excuse  to  stay  away  and  every  induce- 
ment to  come,  and  with  the  long  days  of  the  late  spring  and 
summer,  the  opportunity  for  an  inspection  of  the  Museum  is, 
or  at  least  should  be,  grateful. 


MODEI,  OF  THE  PARTHENON  AT  ATHENS. 

MODELS    OF    BUILDINGS    AND    ARCHITECTURAL 

CASTS. 

N  the  great  main  or  centre  hall,  the  enor- 
mous height  and  space  of  the  room  permit 
in  many  cases  the  exhibition  of  life  size  re- 
productions   of    monuments,  facades,  col- 
umns, architectural  ornaments  and  compre- 
hensive   models     of    edifices    famous    for 
beauty,  antiquity  or  quaint  ness  of  design. 
The  chamber  as  one  enters  is  very  impres- 
sive   in    its    proportions;    it    is    brilliantly 
lighted,  both  by  artificial  light  by  night,  and  natural  light  by 
day  through  great  studio  windows;  and  it  contains  a  fund  of  in- 
formation and  interest. 


MODELS    OF    BUILDINGS  13 

In  one  of  the  central  positions  of  this  gallery  is  a  model  of 
the  cathedral  of  Notre  Dame,  Paris,  made  by  M.  Jolly,  a  dis- 
tinguished French  workman  who  devoted  his  life  to  the  con- 
struction of  models  of  this  kind  and  who  died  shortly  after 
putting  this  piece  together,  for  which  purpose,  by  the  way,  he 
came  over  here  from  Paris.  This  model  is  some  thirty  feet  long 
by  twelve  feet  wide  and  is  on  a  scale  of  one-twentieth  natural 
size;  it  is  an  exact  fac-simile  of  the  original  structure,  not  the 
smallest  ornamentation  having  escaped  the  workman.  Its 
remarkable  beauty  and  completeness  must  really  be  seen  and 
studied  carefully  to  be  appreciated,  for  it  is  as  if  one  stood  before 
the  magnificent  French  edifice  itself,  so  perfect  is  the  illusion. 
Opposite  this  is  a  model  of  the  Parthenon,  at  Athens,  restored 
to  its  original  condition.  One  may  here  study  the  noble  monu- 
ment the  great  Pericles  erected  about  438  B.  C.  The  restora- 
tions are  by  Charles  Chipiez,  the  architect,  of  Paris,  and  the 
work  is  also  one-twentieth  natural  size,  as  are  most  of  the 
models  here.  The  statuary,  including  the  famous  frieze,  is 
polychromatic,  and  the  edifice  has  an  absorbing  interest,  not 
only  to  the  student,  but  to  the  casual  visitor.  Standing  in  front 
of  this  model  one  may  see  high  up  on  the  wall  to  the  right  and 
rear,  by  the  side  of  the  picture  by  Benjamin  Constant,  a  frag- 
ment in  plaster  of  a  corner  of  this  building  as  it  is  now,  and  this 
last  piece  is  life  size. 

It  is  hardly  necessary  to  state  that  this  building  is  considered 
the  finest  production  of  Greek  architecture,  and  the  frieze,  or 
a  large  part  of  it  on  the  outer  wall  of  the  cella,  was  taken,  to- 
gether with  statues  from  the  pediments  and  many  of  the 


14  MODELS    OF    BUILDINGS 

metopes,  by  Lord  Elgin  to  England,  where  they  are  among  the 
chief  treasures  of  the  British  Museum.  Plaster  casts  of  the 
frieze  are  arranged  about  the  balcony  of  this  main  hall  and 
should  be  studied  carefully.  The  Pantheon,  at  Rome,  has  been 
similarly  restored  by  the  same  architect  and  the  model  is  also 
here.  Crowned  with  all  the  beautiful  statuary,  some  in  gold 
and  bronze,  some  in  marble,  the  splendid  proportions  of  the 
noble  structure  will  impress  at  once.  The  most  perfectly  pre- 
served and  one  of  the  most  admired  structures  of  ancient  Rome, 
the  visitor  may  see  it  as  in. all  probability  it  existed  in  the  olden 
times,  with  its  statues  in  their  niches,  the  tiles  on  the  floor  and 
all  the  beauty  and  completeness  of  its  appointment.  A  model 
of  the  Hypostyle  Hall,  Karnak,  Egypt,  is  likewise  here,  to  the 
scale  of  one-twentieth.  In  the  original,  this  was  the  largest 
room  ever  constructed  by  the  Egyptians  and  was  170  by  340 
feet.  It  was  begun  in  the  fifteenth  century  before  Christ. 
The  coloring  and  ornamentation  are  unique  and  essentially 
correct  in  all  details,  as  authorities  show.  In  the  case  of  all 
these  models  the  introduction  of  some  small  figures  correct  as 
to  proportion,  conveys  a  sense  of  the  grandeur  of  the  structures. 
Note  near  the  wall,  behind  the  model  of  the  Parthenon,  a 
model  of  the  Acropolis,  the  citadel  of  Athens,  while  against  the 
wall  is  the  portico  of  the  Erechtheum,  at  Athens,  surmounted 
by  four  caryatides.  In  front  of  this,  to  the  right,  is  a  reproduc- 
tion of  a  sacerdotal  seat,  from  the  theatre  of  Dionysos,  Athens. 
Columns  and  altars  of  various  sorts  and  epochs  are  here,  each 
labeled  properly,  and  there  is  a  great  model  of  the  tomb  of  the 
Satrap  Paiafa,  found  near  Xanthos,  Lykia,  the  original  of  which 


16  MODELS    OF    BUILDINGS 

is  in  the  British  Museum.  The  Arch  of  Constantine,  at  Rome, 
is  reproduced,  restored  and  perfect,  while  in  frames  around  the 
base  of  this  are  photographs  of  other  arches. 

A  superb  pulpit,  from  the  Church  of  Santa  Croce,  at  Florence, 
by  Benedetto  da  Mijano,  is  beautiful  in  its  delicate  sculpture 
work  with  high  reliefs  and  figures,  and  there  is  a  most  elaborate 
window  facade  of  the  Certosa,  Pavia,  Italy,  a  Carthusian  mon- 
astery, probably  the  most  richly  sculptured  building  in  Christen- 
dom. Among  the  sculptors  employed  on  this  were  Antonio 
Mantegazza,  his  son,  and  Antonio  Omodeo.  The  central  door 
mullion  of  the  Cathedral  of  Amiens,  France,  may  be  seen  be- 
side the  Cathedral  of  Notre  Dame  model,  together  with  a  frag- 
ment of  a  porch  from  the  west  front  of  the  Cathedral  of  Char- 
tres,  dating  from  the  middle  of  the  XII  century  A.  D.  There 
are  fragments  of  wood  carving  in  panels  from  Scandinavian 
churches,  XI  to  XV  centuries,  and  others  from  Iceland  on 
screens  to  the  right  of  the  model  of  Notre  Dame.  Here,  too, 
are  architectural  ornaments  of  many  periods,  of  absorbing  in- 
terest and  value  to  the  student  in  such  matters,  with  cornices, 
capitals,  fragments  of  pillars  and  the  like. 

The  collection  of  plaster  reproductions  is  enhanced  by  many 
photographs  of  cathedrals,  churches,  altars,  pulpits  and  details 
of  various  sorts,  hung  in  proximity  to  the  models,  and  there  are 
modern  French  and  Italian  ornamentations,  with  reproduc- 
tions of  the  famous  bas-reliefs  by  Jean  Goujon  for  the  Fountain 
of  Innocence,  in  Paris.  A  large  model  on  the  left  on  entering 
the  gallery  is  a  facade  of  the  Guild  of  the  Butchers'  House, 
Hildesheim,  Germany,  in  1529,  in  timber  architecture  of  the 


MODELS    OF    BUILDINGS  17 

transitional  or  early  Renaissance  manner.  An  enormous  and 
beautifully  sculptured  choir  screen,  from  the  Church  of  St. 
Etienne,  Limoges,  France,  is  here.  It  is  of  the  second  period  of 
the  French  Renaissance  and  dates  from  1533.  A  Bay  of  Clois- 
ter, from  St.  John  Lateran,  Rome,  dates  from  the  XII  cen- 
tury; it  is  highly  interesting  and  decorative  in  its  marble  and 
mosaics,  the  decorated  and  twisted  columns  being  held  on  the 
backs  of  two  Sphinxes.  There  is  also  the  model  of  an  elaborate 
shrine  in  gold,  silver,  bronze  and  iron,  of  St.  Sebaldus,  Nurem- 
berg, by  Peter  Vischer  and  sons,  1519,  which  is  said  to  have 
cost  the  labor  of  thirteen  years. 

A  curious  pulpit  from  the  cathedral  of  Sienna,  Italy,  of  the 
Italian-Gothic  period,  by  Nicolo  Pisano,  1268,  is  remarkable  in 
its  originality.  Eight  columns  hold  up  a  canopy  and  four  of 
these  uprights  are  superimposed  on  the  backs  of  lions,  each  one 
of  which  stands  over  a  horse  and  holds  the  latter's  head  in  his 
jaws.  Note  the  famous  doors  from  the  cathedral  of  Aix,  France, 
richly  sculptured,  and  the  Bartarde  door,  from  St.  Maclou, 
Rouen,  France,  by  Jean  Goujon,  together  with  a  stall  from  the 
chapel  of  the  Chateau  de  Gaillon,  by  Jean  Juste,  1515,  in  beauti- 
fully carved  wood.  These  all  give  an  idea  of  what  may  be  seen, 
for  the  many  objects  here  if  set  down  would  make  a  book  by 
themselves. 


MODERN   SCULPTURE   ROOM. 

MODERN  SCULPTURE. 

N  the  main  hall,  on  entering  the  Museum, 
and  scattered  about  some  of  the  corridors 
leading  therefrom,  will  be  found  the  mod- 
ern sculpture  possessed  by  the  institution, 
or  loaned.  The  collection  is  by  no  means 
complete,  and  the  more  recent  develop- 
ments by  the  Frenchmen  are  sadly  lack- 
ing, for  to  them  one  must  turn  for  the 
greatest  advances  in  the  art  made  during 
the  past  forty  years.  However,  there  will  be  found  much  ma- 
terial for  study  and  many  interesting  examples,  particularly  of 


MODERN    SCUIvPTURE  19 

the  earlier  American  workers,  who,  if  somewhat  conventional  in 
their  conceptions,  are  not  without  attractiveness  and  in  many 
cases  certain  force,  both  in  execution  and  the  intellectual  realiza- 
tion of  their  subjects. 

Of  the  more  recent  Americans  who  have  distinguished  them- 
selves there  are  but  few,  yet  one  of  the  foremost  is  represented 
with  a  statue  that  has  been  much  talked  of  and  has  caused  con- 
siderable discussion.  This  is  the  "Bacchante/'  by  Frederick 
Macmonnies,  which  was  presented  to>  the  Boston  Public  Library 
and  found  to  be  inappropriate  for  that  somewhat  sedate  institu- 
tion, perhaps  quite  properly,  too.  At  any  rate  it  is  here  and  is 
worth  careful  attention,  for  it  is  excellent  technically,  full  of  ac- 
tion, and  is  original  in  conception.  The  figure,  which  is  cast  in 
bronze,  is  a  dancing  woman,  holding  in  one  hand  a  child.  The 
expression  is  full  of  animation  and  the  modelling  is  exquisite. 
Mr.  Macmonnies  is  the  author  of  a  number  of  prominent  works, 
one  of  which  is  the  statue  of  Nathan  Hale,  which  stands  in  the 
City  Hall  Park,  New  York,  and  another  is  a  figure  of  "Victory," 
at  the  Military  School  at  West  Point.  Frank  Edwin  Elwell  is 
another  of  the  younger  men  who  is  in  evidence  here,  with  "A 
Water  Boy  of  Pompeii"  and  the  head  of  an  old  man.  Both  are 
well  executed  and  show  much  appreciation  of  the  requirements 
of  the  art,  being  thoughtfully  considered  in  all  the  details. 

In  a  life-size  statue  of  a  woman,  called  "Evening,"  F.  W.  Ruck- 
stuhl  has  portrayed  all  the  refinement  of  the  nude  with  facility 
and  tenderness  and  given  an  engaging  conception  of  the  senti- 
ment of  his  motive.  The  figure  is  standing  with  one  arm  across 
the  face,  suggesting  drowsiness,  the  lines  are  exceedingly  grace- 


20  MODERN    SCULPTURE 

ful,  and  the  general  feeling  is  one  of  delicacy  and  beauty.  The  late 
Olin  L.  Warner  has  a  small  bust  of  Daniel  Cottier,  which  is  char- 
acterized by  the  strong  personality  pervading  all  this  sculptor's 
work.  It  is  like  the  original,  and  is  modelled  with  simplicity, 
directness  and  force.  Paul  Bartlett  has  here  a  group  of  a  man 
with  a  dancing  bear,  called  'The  Bohemian,"  and  the  work  is 
forceful  and  authoritative.  Mr.  Bartlett  has  given  much  atten- 
tion to  animals,  though  his  most  recent  efforts  have  been  almost 
altogether  in  the  direction  of  the  human  figure,  his  statues  of  Co- 
lumbus and  Michael  Angelo,  in  the  Congressional  Library  at 
Washington,  attracting  considerable  attention.  Time  was,  when 
the  group  of  Americans  of  nearly  half  a  century  ago  at  Rome, 
Italy,  stood  for  all  there  was  in  American  sculpture,  and  to-day 
one  may  see  here  the  work  of  that  period,  which,  to  our  more 
modern  eyes,  seems  a  trifle  conventional  and  anaemic,  if  such  an 
expression  may  be  used  in  this  instance.  But  there  is  a  feeling 
throughout  the  efforts  of  that  period  of  an  absence  of  virility,  and 
a  preconception,  a  following  of  prescribed  forms  and  an  adher- 
ence to  the  academic,  that  takes  away  in  a  measure  from  the  gen- 
eral effect.  This  is  noticeable  in  the  "Cleopatra,"  by  W.  W. 
Story,  which  is,  notwithstanding,  a  scholarly  piece  of  work  and 
no  mean  performance  in  a  technical  way.  The  figure  of  the 
Egyptian  Queen  sits  on  a  chair  of  severe  design,  and  with  one 
hand  at  her  head,  seems  lost  in  thought.  The  costume  and  the 
accessories  are  all  true  to  traditional  renderings,  and  the  face  has 
a  beauty  of  its  own.  But  it  is  unconvincing  in  a  way,  and  it  lacks 
the  measure  of  humanity.  Everything  is  too  orderly,  too  exact 
and  cold  in  its  regularity.  Better  is  the  "Medea  Meditating  the 


BACCHANTE. 


FREDERICK  MACMONNIES. 


22  MODERN    SCULPTURE 

Murder  of  Her  Children,"  by  the  same  man.  Here  the  figure  has 
more  go,  is  more  subtle,  and  the  emotions  are  expressed  forcibly, 
though  much  the  same  criticism  applies.  Another  work  by 
Story  is  called  "Semiramis,  Queen  of  Assyria." 

An  earlier  man  than  Story  is  Hiram  Powers,  author  of  the 
well-known  figure  that  attracted  great  attention  in  its  day,  "The 
Greek  Slave."  He  has  here  a  "Fisher  Boy"  and  a  nude  figure 
called  "California."  The  first  is  conventional,  though  pleasing, 
and  the  second  is  more  important  in  conception  and  execution. 
The  woman  stands  with  a  divining  rod  in  her  hand,  and  the  senti- 
ment is  well  expressed.  Better  still  is  his  portrait  bust  of  Gen- 
eral Jackson.  Thomas  Crawford,  whose  statue  of  "Liberty"  sur- 
mounts the  dome  of  the  Capitol  at  Washington,  is  represented 
with  a  "Dancing  Girl,"  a  small  work,  but  full  of  nice  feeling, 
while  Erastus  D.  Palmer  was  in  touch  with  the  art  of  his  day 
with  two  works,  "The  White  Captive"  and  "The  Indian  Maid," 
both  of  which  are  skillfully  designed,  if  not  altogether  moving. 
Harriet  Hosmer,  long  a  resident  of  the  Eternal  City  and  still  liv- 
ing, though  now  in  this  country,  has  here  a  "Zenobia  in  Chains," 
also  of  this  same  school  of  earlier  American  work.  S.  V.  Cleven- 
ger  has  a  portrait  bust  of  Henry  Clay,  full  of  the  personality  of 
the  popular  statesman,  and  Charles  Calverley  has  some  portrait 
busts. 

There  is  a  fine  head,  expressive  of  hate  and  envy,  by  J.  Stanley 
Conner,  called  "Cain,"  worth  study,  for  it  is  not  without  con- 
siderable character,  and  there  is  a  nude  woman  called  the 
"Bather,"  by  Edward  Stewardson,  with  a  conventional  "Proser- 
pina," by  Marshall  Wood.  Portraits  by  W'illiam  H.  Rhinehart 


MODERN    SCULPTURE  23 

and  a  representation  of  Her  Majesty  Queen  Victoria,  by  Mary 
Grant,  may  be  looked  at  with  mild  pleasure,  and  there  are  some 
portrait  busts  by  Launt  Thompson.  A  "Ruth,"  by  Randolph 
Rogers,  may  be  mentioned,  with  a  "Nydia"  from  the  same  hand; 
by  J.  S.  Hartley,  there  is  a  bust  of  Algernon  S.  Sullivan,  and  by 
Richard  Hamilton  Park,  a  stiff  and  not  too  artistic  monument 
to  the  memory  of  Edgar  Allen  Poe. 

Auguste  Rodin,  one  of  the  most  original  and  certainly  one  of 
the  most  artistic  Frenchmen  of  the  present  day,  has  a  bust  of  St. 
John  the  Baptist,  which  will  convey  an  idea  of  his  methods  and 
his  strength.  He  is  a  singularly  attractive  artist  in  his  manner  of 
attacking  his  motives  and  in  the  excellent  technique  apparent  in 
all  he  does.  The  spontaneity,  the  sincerity  and  authoritative 
stamp  of  his  handiwork  give  to  all  he  does  great  distinction. 
This  work  should  be  studied  carefully.  Aime  Millet  is  another 
Frenchman  represented  here,  with  an  "Ariadne,"  a  kneeling, 
weeping  figure,  which  is  strong,  powerful  and  well  modelled. 
Note  the  bust  of  Beranger,  by  David  d'Angers,  worthy  of  atten- 
tion in  its  able  treatment  and  strong  personality.  The  "Sap- 
pho," by  Prosper  D'Epinay,  is  also  strong  and  well  conceived. 

The  Italians  are  exceedingly  clever  in  the  working  out  of  de- 
tail, and  the  examples  here  give  a  fair  idea  of  their  work,  which 
is  dexterous  rather  than  profound,  and  appeals  from  its  surface 
qualities  more  than  by  reason  of  deep  thought  and  artistic  sen- 
timent. These  remarks  apply  to  the  represenatives  of  the  mod- 
ern schools,  and  there  are,  of  course,  exceptions.  The  most  fa- 
mous sculptor  of  his  day  in  Italy  was  Antonio  Canova,  repre- 
sented here  twice,  in  the  first  instance  with  a  portrait  of  Napoleon 


24  MODERN    SCULPTURE 

I,  and  afterward  with  a  little  figure  of  a  "Sleeping  Venus."  The 
first  conveys  a  good  idea  of  the  accepted  personality  of  the  great 
Emperor,  and  the  second  is  a  lithe,  beautifully  formed  woman, 
reclining  gracefully  on  one  arm,  in  an  unconscious  attitude.  It 
is  dexterously  modelled  and  attractive  in  line  and  movement. 
By  Salvatore  Albano  there  is  a  strong  statue  of  the  "Thief"  from 
Dante's  Inferno.  The  wretchedness  and  the  agony  of  the  man 
are  admirably  expressed  and  the  workmanship  is  technically  very 
fine.  It  is  a  powerful  conception  and  one  of  the  good  things 
here.  A  veiled  woman,  called  "La  Donna  Velata,"  by  Raphael 
Monti,  is  dated  1854,  and  is  dexterous  in  the  deft  imitation  of 
fabrics  and  the  ideal  expression  of  the  figure.  Weaker,  but  still 
clever,  is  a  figure  by  P.  Romanelli,  "I  Am  the  Rose  of  Sharon." 

Still  another  Frenchman  remains  to  be  noticed  in  closing  this 
article,  and  this  artist  is  Antoine  Louis  Barye,  one  of  the  great- 
est of  modern  workers,  who  is  held  in  the  highest  estimation  by 
the  art  world,  and  who  devoted  his  life  to  the  portrayal  of  ani- 
mal life,  in  which  sphere  he  had  absolutely  no  rivals.  The  pres- 
ent example  is  of  a  classical  subject  and  is  a  group  entitled 
"Theseus  and  the  Centaur  Bienor."  It  should  by  all  means  be 
studied  at  great  length,  for  it  embodies  all  the  good  qualities  one 
must  look  for  in  work  of  the  kind.  The  man's  knowledge  of 
beasts  was  most  profound,  and  he  had  furthermore  an  intuitive 
feeling  for  their  ways  and  habits,  having  studied  them  carefully 
and  with  loving  interest.  He  knew  their  anatomical  construc- 
tion and  was  familiar  with  the  thousand  nothings  that  give  them 
character  and  show  subtle  peculiarities.  His  lions  and  tigers  are 
to-day  the  accepted  representations  of  those  animals  and  find 


MODERN    SCULPTURE  25 

great  favor  with  connoisseurs,  while  many  of  his  groups  are  ab- 
solutely classics  in  an  animal  way.  Few  men  have  been  more  gen- 
uinely appreciated  and  with  better  reason,  and  this  group  at  the 
Museum  is  one  of  its  most  valued  possessions. 


COUvECTlON  OF   PIASTER  CASTS. 

SCULPTURE  AND  PLASTER  CASTS. 

O  many  visitors  at  the  Museum  the  statu- 
ary and  the  plaster  casts  hold  little  interest 
and  mean  only  a  succession  of  unsympa- 
thetic white  surfaces,  to  be  glanced  at  in 
the  most  perfunctory  way  and  passed  by 
with  almost  no  emotion.     As  this  book  is 
addressed   largely   to   those   with   a   desire 
to  learn  something  about   the  real  worth 
of  the  collection,  some  information  which 
to  the  better  informed  may  seem  rudimentary  is  offered,  in  the 
hope  of  quickening  a  spirit  of  appreciation  and  fostering  a  desire 
to  go  deeper  into  the  history  of  these  artistic  creations.     For 


SCULPTURE    AND    PLASTER    CASTS  27 

purposes  of  study,  the  Museum  contains  an  excellent  showing  of 
the  works  of  sculptors  from  the  earliest  times  to  the  pres- 
ent day,  and  though  the  modern  men  are  few  and  French  sculp- 
ture, the  greatest  modern  development  in  the.  art,  is  almost  en- 
tirely lacking,  there  yet  remains  a  wealth  of  material  of  surpris- 
ing interest  to  such  as  care  to  approach  it  in  the  proper  spiri  and 
with  sincere  desire  to  gain  information. 

The  plaster  casts  here  are,  for  all  intents  and  purposes,  the 
originals,  for  the  reproduction  is  absolutely  accurate  and,  save  to 
the  connoisseur,  they  cannot  be  told  from  the  sculptor's  own 
creation,  so  the  visitor  may  study  them  with  the  assurance  that 
he  loses  nothing  in  being  before  an  imitation.  Beginning  with 
the  earliest  Egyptians,  there  are  statues  and  reliefs  dating  as  far 
back  as  nearly  thirty-eight  hundred  years  before  Christ,  taken 
from  the  temples  near  the  Pyramids  and  the  Sphinx,  along  the 
Nile,  and  in  the  various  historical  cities  and  the  towns  of  the  land 
of  the  Pharaohs.  These  are  portraits  of  prominent  men,  kings 
and  warriors,  and  they  are  executed  in  the  curious  manner  of  the 
times,  when  art  was  circumscribed  by  the  priests  and  men  were 
forced  to  work  along  lines  prescribed  by  rule  and  law,  and  when 
all  originaiity  wras  not  only  discountenanced  but  absolutely  for- 
bidden. The  only  type  of  face  permitted  the  worker  was  that 
of  the  kingly  features,  and  thus  year  after  year  this  representa- 
tion was  contained,  all  originality  was  suppressed,  individuality 
was  fettered  and  a  uniformity  controlled  the  bearing  of  all  the 
statues. 

Nevertheless,  if  the  visitor  will  study  these  works  and  follow 
the  progress  of  the  ages  he  will  be  repaid,  for  the  development 


28  SCULPTURE    AND    PLASTER    CASTS 

is  of  the  greatest  interest,  and  even  these  more  or  less  monoton- 
ous repetitions  are  not  without  attraction  in  the  curious  methods 
of  treatment  and  procedure,  and  the  bringing  out  in  an  archaic 
manner  certain  attributes  of  these  older  types  of  a  civilization 
and  a  people  of  mighty  moment.  All  these  may  be  found  in 
Egyptian  section,  hall  6.  There  follows  the  Assyrian  section, 
hall  7,  with  statues  in  stone  reliefs  and  monuments,  generally  of 
kings  at  battle,  going  to  the  hunt  with  slaves  and  attendants, 
horses  and  animals,  the  originals  of  which  have  been  found  at 
Nineveh  and  other  Assyrian  cities.  Again  the  prescribed  types 
and  the  quaint  archaism,  and  a  power  great,  if  rude,  is  apparent. 
In  the  Persian  section,  hall  6,  the  work  is  some  three  thousand 
years  later,  and  in  the  Archaic  Greek  section,  hall  7,  there  are 
fascinating  materials  for  study  in  the  shape  of  bronzes  of  god- 
desses, warriors,  kings  and  other  personages,  with  marble  carv- 
ings of  various  sorts.  Many  of  the  reliefs  are  of  intense  historical 
interest,  representing  as  they  do  mythological  subjects  or  inci- 
dents in  the  lives  of  rulers  or  political  leaders,  giving  an  idea  of 
the  religion,  the  politics  or  the  customs  of  a  remote  period.  Nor 
must  the  art  side  be  forgotten,  either,  for  many  of  these  are, 
while  differing  from  the  art  notions  of  this  century,  the  precur- 
sors of  a  movement  to  follow,  and  they  offered  inspiration  to  the 
men  who  came  after,  but  who  gradually  broke  away  from  the 
weaknesses  and,  retaining  the  good,  developed  more  and  more, 
until  they  finally  emerged  from  the  darkness  of  the  superstition 
of  their  times  and  came  out  into  the  full  light  of  a  greater  free- 
dom and  artistic  liberty. 

In  some  of  these  bronze  statues  there  are  painted  whites  to 


NIKE. 


FOUND  NEAR  TEMPLE  OF  OI^YMPIA. 


30  SCULPTURE    AND    PLASTER    CASTS 

the  eyes,  colored  eyeballs  and  other  chromatic  additions  that 
give,  in  startling  contrast  to  the  dark  of  the  main  material  of  the 
work  a  staring  appearance;  and  though  in  later  times  color  was 
employed  in  the  tinting  of  the  statuary,  it  was  applied  rather  to 
the  marble,  where  it  was  given  the  aspect  of  realism  that  must 
have  been  very  beautiful  in  its  day.  It  is,  however,  to  Greek 
sculpture  that  the  general  visitor  will  turn  with  a  greater  sense 
of  appreciation  and  comprehension,  for  there  the  forms  are  at 
once  understood  and  there  is  beauty  of  line  combined  with  a  hu- 
man interest  of  subject  more  appealing.  In  the  space  of  a  brief 
article  it  is  impossible  to  go  into  much  detail  as  to  men,  or  to  the 
many  subjects  represented  here,  but  it  may  be  mentioned  that 
there  are  portions  of  the  frieze  of  the  Parthenon  at  Athens,  gen- 
erally conceded  to  be  the  grandest  piece  of  sculptural  decoration 
of  which  there  is  any  record,  and  this  is  by  Phidias  and  his  pupils. 
These  are  in  hall  8,  numbered  from  14  to  32,  and  from  78  to  85, 
while  various  single  pieces  are  to  be  found  in  the  catalogue.  Then 
there  are  heads,  figures  and  groups  by  the  great  Praxiteles  and 
sculptors  of  his  school,  who  have  here  goddesses,  athletes  and 
people  prominent  in  all  walks  of  life  of  their  times.  In  the 
Grseco-Roman  section,  hall  8,  about  the  first  century  B.  C., 
there  are  the  famous  Laocoon  and  his  Sons,  the  Orestes,  and 
Venus,  while  in  the  Roman  section,  about  the  first  century  of 
the  Christian  era,  there  begins  a  long  line  of  sculptors  whose 
creations  are  famous  as  models  of  the  best  and  most  thorough 
rendition  of  the  human  form,  and  there  follows  a  list  of  portraits 
of  emperors,  and  the  people  of  their  courts,  of  athletes,  mag- 
nificent of  build,  graceful  of  pose  and  splendid  in  conception. 


SCULPTURE    AND    PLASTER    CASTS  31 

Many  of  them  are  used  to-day  as  the  basis  of  study  for  the  stu- 
dent, in  familiarizing  himself  with  an  idea  of  proper  relations  of 
the  human  form,  as  models  of  graceful  pose,  and  generally  as  giv- 
ing a  serious  and  abiding  sense  of  beauty  and  truth  in  art  expres- 
sion. 

Here  may  be  seen  the  familiar  reproduction  of  the  statue  of 
the  goddess  Aphrodite,  popularly  known  as  the  "Venus  of  Milo," 
which  was  found  on  the  Island  of  Melos,  in  the  Southern  Aegean 
Sea.  It  is  No.  42,  in  hall  1 1,  Hellenic  section,  and  the  original  is 
in  the  Museum  of  the  Louvre,  in  Paris.  Volumes  have  been 
written  of  this  famous  statue,  and  there  is  little  if  anything  left  to 
add.  But  it  is  beautiful  in  its  perfection  of  form,  in  its  simple 
dignity  and  masterly  workmanship,  and  if  the  visitor  has  hitherto 
only  looked  at  it  casually  he  had  now  better  stop  and  examine  it 
closely,  for  of  its  kind  it  is  as  near  perfection  as  human  hands  and 
brains  have  executed  since  men  began  to  model.  A  closer  ac- 
quaintance with  it  will  only  excite  admiration  for  the  sculptor's 
art  and  respect  for  the  master  mind  that  evolved  this  veritable 
chef  d'oeuvre.  It  was  supposititiously  executed  about  three 
hundred  years  before  Christ,  and  the  original  is  cut  out  of  Parian 
marble. 

From  the  fourth  to  the  tenth  centuries  sculpture  found  its  ex- 
pression in  religious  feeling,  as  indeed  it  has  in  nearly  all  ages, 
but  it  took  form  during  this  time  in  tombs  and  figures  of  saints, 
while  about  the  ninth  or  tenth  centuries  it  fell  under  the  heads 
of  Gothic,  Lombard,  Norman  or  Tuscan,  as  those  different  na- 
tions adopted  it.  Here  are  monuments  in  high  relief,  with  por- 
trait effigies  and  statuettes,  illustrating  sacred  history,  and 


S2  SCULPTURE    AND    PLASTER    CASTS 

among  these  artists  of  the  Italian  Renaissance,  who  has  many 
works,  is  Donatello,  a  careful  study  of  whom  will  be  of  profound 
interest.  A  little  panel  by  him,  of  world-wide  reputation,  hangs 
here,  No.  50,  called  "St.  Cecilia,"  and  it  is  in  very  low  relief. 
Nothing  more  delightful  in  its  way  has  been  done  by  any  sculp- 
tor, in  any  epoch.  It  is  the  figure  of  a  woman  in  profile;  the  ex- 
pression is  one  of  great  sweetness,  and  there  is  in  it  the  sentiment 
of  a  marvellous  artistic  feeling.  There  are,  too,  his  ''David"  (38), 
his  "Genii  Dancing  and  Playing"  (40  to  45),  his  famous  eques- 
trian statue  of  the  Venetian,  General  Erasmo  da  Narni  (47);  his 
"John  the  Baptist"  (48),  "Judith  and  Holofernes"  (49),  and 
much  other  material,  affording  an  opportunity  for  analysis  and 
study  of  one  of  the  most  decorative  and  graceful  men  of  all  time. 
Indeed,  it  would  be  well  to  devote  a  considerable  time  to  the 
study  of  this  man  alone,  for  he  was  a  splendid  workman  and  a 
master  of  his  material,  and  when  he  had  finished  with  a  statue 
there  was  left  nothing  unsaid  as  far  as  artistic  expression  is  to  be 
considered. 

The  teacher  of  this  man,  in  whose  studio  he  worked  for  some 
time,  Lorenzo  Ghiberti,  is  represented  with  many  reproductions 
of  great  importance.  His  door  of  the  Baptistry  at  Florence, 
one  of  the  great  art  works  of  the  world,  contains  a  wealth  of 
subjects  executed  in  perspective  relief,  of  Biblical  lore,  and  some 
of  the. figures  are  portraits  of  his  friends,  the  artist  himself  and 
others  who  aided  him  in  the  work.  Luca  della  Robbia,  con- 
temporaneous with  the  last  named,  is  still  another  man  to  whom 
much  time  may  be  profitably  devoted,  for  he  was  not  only  a  great 
sculptor,  but  he  invented  a  process  by  which,  working  in  terra 


SCULPTURE    AND    PLASTER    CASTS  33 

cotta,  he  secured  an  enamel  and  obtained  delicious  color,  all  of 
which  so  took  the  fancy  of  the  art  world  at  that  time  that  he 
found  himself  overwhelmed  with  orders  and  had  to  seek  the  as- 
sistance of  other  men  whom  he  brought  to  his  studio  to  help  him 
out.  The  combination  of  a  peculair  blue  and  white  enamel  is 
original  with  this  man,  and  is  to-day  at  once  recognized  as  his 
own  particular  arrangement,  which  under  his  artistic  touch  be- 
came most  effective.  One  of  his  most  famous  pieces  is  a  bas-re- 
lief in  marble,  executed  for  the  organ  gallery  in  the  Duomo,  at 
Florence,  representing  a  group  of  young  women  singing  to  the 
accompaniment  of  stringed  instruments,  and  others  dancing. 
These  are  marvellously  lifelike,  full  of  grace,  and  the  draperies  are 
disposed  with  elegance  and  beauty.  Note  a  high  relief  (62),  of 
the  Resurrection  of  our  Lord,  in  glazed  terra  cotta,  the  figures  in 
white  against  a  blue  background,  which  is  a  characteristic  piece 
of  work  both  in  the  execution  and  the  color  effect.  A  splendid 
monument  to  a  bishop  of  Fiesole,  a  recumbent  statue,  with  high 
reliefs  and  inscription  (63),  is  most  delightful  in  its  originality 
and  the  personal  manner  of  interpretation  of  the  subject.  There 
is  still  another  monument,  with  high  relief,  and  the  portrait  of  a 
lady  by  this  man.  His  nephew,  Andrea  della  Robbia,  is  repre- 
sented here  with  high  reliefs,  some  of  which  are  in  color  and 
some  are  done  in  conjunction  with  Giovanni  della  Robbia.  There 
are  more  of  the  same  school,  but  these  men  are  the  representa- 
tives ones,  though  the  others  may  be  studied  with  profit. 

We  must  now  consider  Michael  Angelo  Buonarroti,  who 
comes  in  between  the  group  of  architect  sculptors  and  the  men 
who  made  statuary  of  the  sixteenth  century,  and  his  name  is  one 


34  SCULPTURE    AND    PLASTER    CASTS 

of  the  greatest  in  all  the  annals  of  art.  Of  his  painting  no  refer- 
ence will  be  made  here,  for  he  is  to  be  regarded  as  a  sculptor  in 
this  paper.  There  is  a  large  and  splendid  collection  of  his  work 
here,  embracing  many  periods  and  nearly  all  his  famous  efforts. 
Indeed,  it  is  difficult  to  begin  with  them,  so  many  are  they  and 
of  such  splendid  quality.  All  are  well  known  and  any  descrip- 
tion would  seem  trite.  But  one  may  see  the  magnificent  monu- 
mental figures  for  the  tombs  of  the  Medici  family  at  Florence — 
the  Night,  Morning,  Evening  and  Dawn — and  see  in  each  figure 
deep  thought,  noble  sentiment  and  poetic  fancy.  These  master- 
pieces are  worthy  the  closest  attention,  for  to  be  properly  ap- 
preciated in  all  their  full  meaning  they  must  be  studied  conscien- 
tiously. There  are  too,  the  gigantic  head  of  David  and  the  mas- 
sive conception  of  Moses,  the  latter  a  monument  to  Pope  Julius 
II.  Two  captives,  one  musing,  the  other  struggling  to  burst  his 
bonds,  show  marvellous  movement,  and  the  group  with  an  in- 
scription, "La  Pieta,"  gives  the  artist's  charm  of  delicacy  when 
he  chose  to  attack  the  sentimental  side  of  nature.  Still  another 
and  one  of  his  best,  is  the  seated  figure,  allegorical  of  profound 
thought,  "Hero"  (124),  known  as  "II  Pensiero."  "The  Flying- 
Mercury"  (no),  by  Giovanni  da  Bologna,  reproductions  of 
which  are  well  known,  and  one  of  which  is  here,  is  worthy  a  care- 
ful glance,  for  it  has  exquisite  beauty  of  pose,  subtle  action  and  is 
artistically  conceived. 


SARCOPHAGI    AND  CYPRIOTE  STATUARY. 

V. 

ANTIQUITIES  FROM  EGYPT  AND  CYPRUS. 

N  the  ground  floor  of  the  Metropolitan 
Museum  of  Art,  in  Galleries  3,  4  and  5, 
are  the  Egyptian  and  Cypriote  antiquities, 
possessing  the  rarest  interest  in  an  archae- 
ological way,  as  well  as  affording  the  op- 
portunity for  the  visitor  to  study  the 
manners  and  customs  of  a  curious  peo- 
ple, as  evidenced  by  the  multitude  of 
pictured  inscriptions  on  tomb  and  monu- 
ment, in  sculptured  stone,  in  writings  on  papyrus,  in  fres- 


36  ANTIQUITIES    FROM    EGYPT    AND    CYPRUS 

coes  and  on  gems  and  tapestries.  The  collection  is  large 
and  varied  and  is  absorbing  from  first  to  last.  Most  of  the  arti- 
cles are  tabulated  with  full  explanation  of  their  meanings,  and 
there  are  excellent  catalogues  in  which  are  adequate  descrip- 
tions. The  great  antiquity  of  the  many  things  exhibited,  and 
in  most  cases  their  wonderful  preservation,  make  it  possible  to 
comprehend  the  ways  and  the  techniques  of  the  workmen,  if 
the  symbolical  meaning  is  not  always  so  apparent,  for  the  race 
which  produced  the  great  temples,  the  pyramids  and  the  gigan- 
tic monuments  was  prolific  in  its  symbolism,  and  it  must  have 
taken  a  great  scholar  to  have  kept  abreast  of  the  various  mean- 
ings conveyed  with  figures,  heads,  birds,  animals  and  indeed  the 
use  of  everything  that  could  by  any  possible  chance  be  con- 
verted into  some  complicated  token. 

To  the  average  visitor  the  mummy  cases,  containing  in  some 
instances  the  remains  of  well-to-do  Egyptian  man  or  woman 
of  high  station,  will  appeal  as  interesting  relics  of  a  quaint  cus- 
tom. There  is  a  certain  ghastliness  in  seeing  the  covered  form 
of  a  human  being,  wrapped  in  almost  endless  rolls  of  coarse 
linen  dingy  and  brown  from  time,  lying  smugly  in  a  gayly  painted 
box,  brilliant  with  vermilion,  yellow,  blue  and  green,  the  not 
over  impressive  effigy  of  a  rudely  fashioned  figure  on  the  top 
of  this  coffin  even  more  brilliantly  colored  than  the  case.  One 
cannot  help  being  curiously  moved  by  the  sight  of  the  pathetic 
looking  corpse,  dragged  from  its  last  resting  place  to  furnish 
entertainment  for  a  New  World's  museum,  to  be  casually  gazed 
at  by  the  passer-by,  who  possesses  little  sympathy  for  all  the 
elaborate  forms  and  ceremonials  that  once  attended  the  placing 


ANTIQUITIES    FROM    EGYPT    AND    CYPRUS  37 

of  the  mortal  remains  of  perhaps  an  eminent  citizen,  a  noble 
prince,  or  a  worthy  warrior.  But  whatever  their  positions  two 
or  three  thousand  years  ago,  here  they  are  to-day,  for  the  old 
Egyptian  builded  perhaps  better  than  he  knew,  and  the  cases 
have  been  preserved  almost  intact,  the  color  fresh,  the  cloths 
perfect,  and  underneath  the  flesh  is  in  a  state  of  absolute  dry- 
ness  and  solidity.  It  will  be  remembered  that  these  people  be- 
lieved that  the  bodily  organs  continued  to  be  of  use  to  man 
after  death,  and  hence  the  care  bestowed  upon  the  embalming 
and  mummifying  and  the  placing  of  the  remains  in  hidden  pits, 
pyramids  and  tombs.  As  an  interesting  fact,  it  may  be  stated 
that  the  cost  of  mummifying  ranged  from  $300  to  $1,200,  and 
was  attended  all  the  way  through  the  process  with  the  most 
elaborate  ceremonies. 

The  enveloping  of  the  figure  in  the  cloths  and  the  placing 
in  an  elaborate  case  did  not  by  any  means  end  the  rites,  for  there 
were  votive  offerings  of  boxes  containing  various  articles  to 
keep  the  deceased  company  on  his  long  journey,  all  of  which 
was  of  serious  import  with  this  ancient  race,  which  fashioned 
them  as  carefully  as  their  abilities  and  resources  permitted. 
Long  inscriptions  on  rude  boxes  with  many  compartments, 
scarabs,  figures  of  gods  and  deities  and  sometimes  a  mask  ac- 
company the  dead  in  these  cases.  The  cabinet  work  in  the 
boxes  is  interesting  indeed,  and  though  it  is  rude  as  compared 
with  the  finish  and  beauty  of  the  work  to-day,  still,  the  joints 
are  well  made  and  fit  perfectly,  the  shapes  are  maintained,  and 
it  cannot  be  denied  that  all  have  held  together  pretty  well  for 
some  considerable  period.  Sometimes  the  casket  was  made  in 


38  ANTIQUITIES     FROM     EGYPT    AND     CYPRUS 

human  shape,  roughly  carved  out  of  wood,  with  a  face  in  relief 
and  the  hands  covered.  Funeary  figurines  were  placed  in  the 
tombs  of  rich  Egyptians,  and  there  are  many  of  them  here,  to- 
gether with  boxes  made  for  their  reception.  The  figures  were 
called  "Ushebti,"  and  were  supposed  to  perform  the  labors  as- 
signed to  the  dead  in  the  next  world.  They  had  inscriptions 
on  them  something  like  the  following: — "Oh  statuette  there. 
Should  I  be  called  and  appointed  to  do  any  of  the  labors  that 
are  done  in  Amenti  by  a  person  according  to  his  abilities,  lo! 
all  obstacles  have  been  beaten  down  for  thee;  be  thou  counted 
for  me  at  every  moment,  for  planting  the  fields,  for  watering 
the  soil,  for  conveying  the  sands  east  and  west!"  and  the  figure 
is  supposed  to  answer:  "Here  am  I,  whithersoever  thou  callest 
me.''  Such  figures  fully  inscribed,  it  is  said,  with  a  blank  left 
for  the  purchaser's  name,  were  kept  as  part  of  the  stock  in  trade 
of  every  well  regulated  Egyptian  undertaker's  shop. 

These  figurines  look  childish  to  our  modern  eyes,  and  it  is 
almost  impossible  to  comprehend  how  a  mighty  people  once 
took  them  seriously,  for  they  seem  in  the  nature  of  toys.  In- 
deed of  the  toys  here  there  are  some  that  are  quite  as  serious 
looking.  Here  moreover,  are  amulets  in  faience,  glazed  and 
bored  with  holes  for  strings.  They  consist  of  birds,  eyes,  heads 
of  gods,  animals  and  other  forms,  rude  in  shape  and  primitive 
in  make.  There  are  statuettes  and  statues,  heads  and  tablets, 
some  of  the  latter  inscribed,  and  curious  figures,  queer  as  to 
head-dress  and  costume  and  far  from  the  truth  as  to  form  and 
expression,  stilted  in  pose,  awkward  and  fashioned  in  the  archaic 
manner  of  the  times.  In  one  of  the  cases  there  are  some  statues 


ANCIENT  CYPRUS  VASE. 


40  ANTIQUITIES    FROM    EGYPT    AND     CYPRUS 

in  wood,  rotten  and  worm-eaten,  with  eyes  in  enamel,  and  wigs, 
with  bodies  of  linen  glued  on  to  hold  color,  which  was  origin- 
ally applied.  There  are,  as  well,  various  household  articles  and 
a  large  quantity  of  vases,  jars  and  vessels,  together  with  lamps, 
baskets  and  sandals.  Tiles  and  pieces  of  mural  decorations  will 
give  an  idea  of  the  interior  ornamentation,  wherein  the  lotus 
flower  served  frequently.  A  crocodile  mummy  and  some  of  cats 
are  of  interest,  while  a  funeary  loaf  in  imitation  of  bread — an 
offering  placed  in  the  tombs,  according  to  the  customs  of  the 
time — is  peculiar  and  entertaining. 

Some  of  the  things  in  daily  use  in  Egyptian  life,  in  case  86, 
should  be  seen,  for  they  have  a  naive  attraction.  Here  are  a 
finger  ring  in  iron,  some  pins  in  bronze,  a  few  knives,  spoons 
and  ladles,  bracelets  and  earrings  and  a  wooden  comb.  There 
are  also  some  tools,  such  as  a  mallet  and  a  chisel,  with  also  a 
tool  handle.  But  it  is  to  the  mummy  cases  and  the  statues  that 
the  visitor  will  turn,  after  all,  with  perhaps  the  greatest  interest, 
and  for  a  description  of  the  various  articles  a  reading  of  the 
regular  catalogue  will  be  necessry,  for  there  is  such  a  variety 
of  material  and  the  explanations  are  so  extended  that  no  refer- 
ence to  them  can  be  made  here  at  any  length,  and  only  the 
merest  suggestion  is,  of  course,  offered. 

The  Cesnola  collection  of  Cypriote  antiquities  consists  of 
objects  exhumed  by  General  di  Cesnola  during  his  residence  in 
the  island  of  Cyprus,  where  he  was  United  States  Consul,  and 
of  the  many  things  secured  by  him,  some  of  which  have  already 
been  referred  to  in  this  series  of  articles  on  the  Museum,  the 
stone  sculptures  are  of  deep  interest,  and  may  be  seen  in  halls  3 


ANTIQUITIES    FROM    EGYPT    AND    CYPRUS  41 

and  5.  There  are  many  sarcophagi,  with  representations  of  nude 
Aphrodite,  grotesque  representations  of  various  gods,  funeral 
processions  and  lotus  leaf  decorations,  showing  at  times  traces 
of  coloring  and  having  many  pictorial  compositions,  with  fig- 
ures of  birds  and  symbolical  emblems,  each  bearing  on  some 
custom  or  tradition,  and  nearly  all  of  them  deciphered  out 
through  the  work  of  modern  scholars.  Some  of  these  are 
Phoenician,  or  Greek  with  Phoenician  and  Assyrian  influence, 
and  date  five  or  six  hundred  years  before  Christ.  But  the 
statues  are  the  most  peculiar  and  the  most  fascinating  of  the 
exhibits  here,  in  their  weird  archaism,  their  peculiar  expres- 
sions of  face,  extraordinary  dress  and  general  formal  manner. 
Many  of  these  show  traces  of  color,  which  could  only  have 
added  to  the  grotesqueness  of  their  original  appearance.  The 
curled  hair,  the  stiff  arrangement  of  dress  and  the  peculiar 
beards,  all  much  alike,  and  made  apparently  by  rule,  with  no 
regard  to  character  or  personality,  strike  the  modern  eye  as 
most  astonishing,  yet  here  are  hundreds  of  heads,  large  and 
small,  of  precisely  the  same  cast  of  features,  the  same  dressing 
of  the  hair  and  the  same  unreal  largeness  of  nose,  retreating 
forehead  and  small  chin.  Occasionally  there  is  a  figure  modelled 
more  on  the  order  of  the  human  being  as  we  know  him  or  her 
in  this  present  year  of  Our  Lord,  but  they  are  rare  and  never 
in  the  earlier  work,  being  seen  in  later  efforts  only,  after  the  race 
began  to  develop  its  own  personality  and  had  cut  loose  from  the 
influence  of  the  Eastern  workers. 

Some  of  these  statues  are  large  and  nearly  perfect  in  preser- 
vation, while  others  are  chipped  here  and  there,  though  still 


42  ANTIQUITIES    FROM     EGYPT    AND     CYPRUS 

retaining  enough  of  their  form  to  convey  a  clear  idea  of 
their  original  appearance;  many  of  them  are  of  elaborate  com- 
position in  the  •manner  of  pose  and  the  introduction  of  various 
articles  in  the  hands,  on  the  heads,  or  as  to  clothing.  These, 
too,  are  fully  described  in  the  catalogues,  with  dates  and  the 
places  where  they  were  found.  There  are  also  Phoenician  and 
Egyptian  articles  of  ornament  or  domestic  use,  cups,  vases, 
dishes,  bowls  and  small  articles  found  in  tombs,  as  well  as  a 
mirror  in  a  leaden  frame,  with  many  marble  slabs.  There  is 
as  well,  case  after  case  of  textile  stuffs.  These  are  only  a  few  of 
the  many  objects  enclosed  in  glass  cases  and  admirably  ar- 
ranged for  the  convenience  of  the  visitor.  The  spacious  halls, 
with  high  ceilings,  the  flood  of  light  and  the  quiet  of  the  gal- 
leries make  a  visit  to  these  antiquities  both  interesting  and 
impressive,  and  the  collections  may  be  studied  at  leisure  with 
considerable  pleasure,  for  the  person  who  cannot  find  entertain- 
ment in  this  wealth  of  material,  reeking  of  the  civilization  and 
the  manners  of  a  bygone  age,  telling  the  story  of  the  life  of  great 
races  who  have  completely  passed  away,  must  be  difficult  to 
please.  To  the  student  there  is,  of  course,  an  endless  amount  of 
entertainment,  but  even  to  those  of  modest  mental  acquire- 
ments, from  the  point  of  view  of  the  unusual  and  the  strange, 
the  collections  will  appeal  with  much  force,  and  they  will  find 
it  well  worth  their  while  to  go  carefully  over  the  cases,  since  to 
look  attentively  is  to  become  interested,  and  to  become  in- 
terested is  to  open  up  a  field  for  study  and  research,  which 
in  the  end  will  be  instructive,  entertaining  and  improving. 


THE  MOORE  COLLECTION  OF  GLASS. 

GREEK,  ETRUSCAN  AND  ROMAN  ANTIQUITIES. 

HE  Greek,  Etruscan  and  Roman  antiqui- 
ties contained  in  Gallery  25,  are  among 
the  rarest  and  the  most  remarkably  pre- 
served specimens  owned  by,  or  loaned  to 
the  Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art.  Each 
article  is  tableted  with  full  particulars  and 
all  are  arranged  so  as  to  be  easily  exam- 
ined. The  visitor  will  find  in  case  i  a 
lot  of  bronzes  that,  by  the  action  of  time, 
have  taken  on  splendid  tones  of  rich  green;  there  are  cups  and 
vases,  but  in  particular  a  candelabrum  with  a  long  shaft  rising 


44 


GREEK,     ETRUSCAN    AND     ROMAN    ANTIQUITIES 


AMPHORA. 


out  of  three  feet  of  claws,  with  a  small  figure  at  the  top,  will 
attract  attention.  Another  smaller  one  has  an  animal  climbing 
up  the  shaft  and  there  are  four  birds  at  the  top.  A  lot  of 
figurines,  Roman  and  Etruscan,  fill  the  upper  part  of  cases  2-5. 
Many  of  these  are  quite  archaic,  while  others  are  artistic  and 
reveal  better  professional  training  and  invention.  The  various 
gods  are  represented,  with  warriors,  priestesses  and  some  tomb 
ornaments.  Household  articles  may  likewise  be  studied  and 
these  are  also  in  bronze.  Many  mirrors  are  beautifully  wrought 
out;  all  of  these  are  round  in  shape,  writh  handles  more  or  less 
ornamented,  being  incised,  or  having  engraved  figures  skilfully 
traced  thereon.  There  is  a  wine  strainer  and  there  are  pins, 
armlets  and  bracelets,  with  many  fibula  or  clasps  or  buckles, 
which  give  an  idea  of  things  in  domestic  use  in  those  early  days. 
Most  of  these,  while  encrusted  heavily  from  age,  and  having 


GREEK,     ETRUSCAN    AND     ROMAN    ANTIQUITIES  45 

been  long  under  the  earth,  still  retain  their  forms  and  are  fairly 
preserved. 

A  cista,  or  box  used  in  the  toilet,  in  bronze,  the  entire  surface 
decorated  with  incised  figures,  is  of  unusual  interest  and  is  in  a 
fine  state  of  preservation.  It  was  found  at  Palestrina,  a  town 
twenty-two  miles  east  of  Rome,  and  there  two  handles  of  what 
was  an  immense  bronze  amphora,  or  two-handled  vase,  pure 
Greek  work,  of  about  400  B.  C.,  which  are  good  in  style  and 
ably  wrought  out.  Alongside  are  a  number  of  Etruscan  and 
Roman  urns,  or  sarcophagi,  in  terra-cotta,  painted  in  many 
colors.  On  the  covers  are  figures,  and  on  the  front  are  sculp- 
tured reliefs,  representing  warriors  in  battle.  The  inscriptions 
announce  the  names  of  the  person  for  whom  these  were  made. 
Two  here  are  almost,  if  not  quite,  identical,  each  having  a  com- 
position recalling  some  of  the  classical  pictures  of  David,  the 
French  painter,  who,  of  course,  obtained  his  inspiration  from 
just  such  specimens.  A  quaintly  carved  Etruscan  sepulchral 
urn,  with  warriors  in  bas-relief  on  the  side,  has  a  figure  on  tqp 
of  archaic  form,  with  head  and  hands  out  of  all  proportion  to  the 
rest  of  the  body;  this  case,  with  one  numbered  326,  is  in  alabas- 
ter, and  the  cover  seems  to  have  been  carved  by  a  workman  less 
well  equipped.  A  box  at  the  side  contains  many  amber  orna- 
ments. 

Cases  6-1 1  contain  jars,  vases  and  sacrificial  urns,  all  practi- 
cally in  perfect  condition,  of  Greek  and  Roman  workmanship. 
Many  are  in  red  clay,  with  black  glazes,  with  painted  decorations 
in  red  and  white,  occasionally  having  a  figure  in  bas-relief  or 
otherwise  ornamented.  A  favorite  ornamentation  was  a  black 


46  GREEK,     ETRUSCAN     AND     ROMAN    ANTIQUITIES 

figure  on  the  red  terra-cotta,  or  a  black  background,  leaving  the 
figure  all  red,  and  many  of  these  here  are  highly  effective.  The 
figures  represent  many  queer  poses,  and  the  subjects  are  of 
war,  the  chase,  the  dance  and  many  episodes  of  the  life  of  the 
times.  The  Etruscan  vases  in  cases  12-18  include,  as  well, 
incense  cups,  tureens  and  other  articles,  interesting  both  in  form 
and  treatment.  Several  trays  are  of  elaborate  design,  and  were 
found  filled  with  various  articles,  such  as  saucers,  tablets  and 
smaller  pieces.  In  cases  19-24  the  jars  of  archaic  Etruscan  pot- 
tery were  found  in  the  tombs  of  Norchia,  and  though  rude  in 
workmanship  differ  little  from  the  shapes  of  a  later  date.  There 
are  figurines  in  a  side  case,  nearly  a  dozen  of  them  somewhat 
fragmentary,  and  there  are  some  South  Italian  vases  of  curious 
design  with  horses  and  figures.  Queer  decorative  designs  here  in 
terra-cotta,  with  the  heads  of  men  against  shells,  are  interesting. 
They  were  found  in  Cervetri  and  are  of  the  Graeco-Etruscan 
period. 

A  small  case  in  the  centre  is  full  of  gems  indeed,  consisting  of 
small  bronze  ornaments  and  some  statuettes  in  bronze,  beauti- 
fully executed,  of  Venus  holding  the  golden  apple,  Mercury, 
Minerva,  Jupiter  enthroned,  a  Roman  matron  and  a  fine  bull. 
A  winged  Cupid,  an  Indian  Bacchus,  a  male  figure  down  to  the 
knees  only,  a  grotesque  figure  and  an  antique  caricature,  are  all 
delightful  works,  while  a  pair  of  vase  handles,  highly  decorated, 
a  fragment  in  bronze  of  the  Pantheon's  architectural  ornamenta- 
tion, together  with  an  old  pocketknife,  a  candelabrum  and  a 
bodkin,  all  of  the  early  Roman  period,  should  be  carefully  in- 
spected. 


GREEK  AMPHORA. 


GREEK,     ETRUSCAN    AND    ROMAN    ANTIQUITIES 


BRONZE  FIGURE  OF  THE  GODDESS  CYBElyE. 

The  large  bronze  statue  of  the  young  Emperor  of  Rome, 
Publius  Septimus  Geta,  A.  D.  211-212,  recently  presented  by 
Mr.  Marquand,  is  delightful  in  every  way.  The  figure  is  of  a 
boy  standing  with  one  arm  raised;  the  face  has  a  smiling  expres- 
sion and  the  pose  is  graceful.  Another  recent  acquisition 
through  Mr.  Marquand  is  a  fine  bronze  piece  of  a  figure  of  the 
goddess  Cybele  enthroned  in  a  chariot  drawn  by  two  magnifi- 
cent lions.  The  piece  was  found  in  the  neighborhood  of  Rome 
and  is  nearly  intact.  It  conveys  a  fine  idea  of  the  work  of  the 
time,  and  is  one  of  the  most  perfect  specimens  of  the  period  in 
existence. 

More  of  the  amphora  will  be  found  in  Gallery  15,  in  the  Moore 
collection,  some  pieces  of  which  are  in  the  finest  state  of  pres- 


GREEK,     ETRUSCAN    AND     ROMAN    ANTIQUITIES  49 

ervation.  One  of  Greek  origin  (980),  is  particularly  fine;  an- 
other (948)  is  very  interesting,  and  a  third  (950),  archaic  Greek, 
is  curious  in  its  decoration.  Note  a  large  piece  (985),  and  two 
craters  (970  and  974).  A  number  of  Greek  and  Roman  lamps 
in  this  room  are  well  intact,  and  a  lamp  filler  might  to-day  be  of 
household  use.  There  are  some  rare  old  jugs  here  as  well. 
Some  are  Etruscan,  and  a  bronze  vessel  or  two  are  of  interest. 
The  case  of  Tanagra  figurines  is  of  special  moment,  for  the  col- 
lection is  most  rare  and  representative  of  the  dainty  art  of  those 
sculptors.  There  are  several  fine  groups  here,  notably  a  Baccha- 
nalian Dance  of  four  figures,  gracefully  arranged  and  skilfully 
rendered.  So,  too,  a  Bacchus  in  triumph  on  a  panther,  is  very 
entertaining  in  its  arrangement.  A  dainty  young  girl  with  a 
water  jug  at  a  fountain  is  delightful  in  composition,  and  with  the 
reddish  tint  to  the  hair,  is  highly  effective.  Underneath  are  a 
Venus  on  a  dolphin  carried  to  a  high  state  of  finish;  an  Ariadne 
in  languorous  attitude  and  a  figure  of  Europa  and  the  Bull. 
There  are,  besides  athletes,  satyrs  and  gods,  many  female 
figures  and  a  torso  or  two.  The  work  dates  back  to  the  third 
century  before  Christ,  and  all  this  Tanagra  group,  seen  both  here 
and  elsewhere  in  the  Museum,  it  may  be  mentioned,  was  discov- 
ered as  late  as  the  present  century. 

Greek,  Roman  and  Phoenician  glass  in  a  case  in  the  middle  of 
Gallery  15  disclose  many  beautiful  specimens,  mostly  iridescent, 
in  some  cases  intentionally  so,  and  in  others  through  the  action 
of  time  and  disintegration  under  the  earth,  where  it  has  re- 
mained buried  so  many  years.  Four  large  mosque  lamps  are  on 
the  top  shelf.  They  are  much  like  those  seen  in  druggists' 


50  GREEK,     ETRUSCAN    AND    ROMAN    ANTIQUITIES 

windows  of  to-day,  but  they  are  remarkably  fine  in  their  irides- 
cent qualities,  while  a  number  of  smaller  articles  below  take  on 
beautiful  shapes  and  are  like  jewels  in  the  exquisite  colors  they 
send  out.  Some  of  the  pieces  are  fine  in  the  broken  quality  of  the 
color,  purposely  rendered  thus,  and  the  richness  of  the  tints  are 
very  striking.  There  is  a  row  of  pieces  on  the  lower  shelf 
which  will  bear  close  examination.  Each  piece  is  perfect  and 
the  effects  are  much  out  of  the  ordinary.  A  row  of  Roman 
glass  vases  on  the  other  side  of  the  case  show  pale,  opalescent 
tints  of  great  delicacy,  and  the  shapes  are  very  graceful.  On  this 
side  some  iridescent  specimens  are  unique  and  give  out  the  bril- 
liancy of  the  opal  at  times. 

In  Gallery  14,  the  visitor  may  see  some  modern  reproductions 
of  antique  Roman  work  and  get  an  idea  as  to  how  the  originals 
looked  as  the  ancients  used  them,  and  for  this  purpose  there 
should  be  noted  a  candelabrum  (52),  reproduced  in  France.  The 
work  is  bronze,  and  three  storks  hold  up  as  many  small  lamps. 
The  modelling  is  exquisite,  the  arrangement  ingenious,  and  alto- 
gether the  piece  must  have  been  a  highly  decorative  addition  to 
the  picturesqueness  of  a  Roman  household.  A  pail  resembling 
the  modern  prototype,  save  that  bronze  takes  the  place  of  wood, 
is  beautifully  reproduced,  with  figures  in  bas  relief  on  the  sides. 
Another  reproduction  is  from  the  Grseco-Roman,  the  Grimani 
vase,  the  handle  of  which  is  beautifully  designed,  beginning  with 
a  winged  sphinx  and  ending  in  an  old  man.  It  is  dark  green 
bronze,  and  might  easily  be  overlooked.  It  is  numbered  30,  in 
case  30,  and  should  by  all  means  be  studied.  So,  too,  a  bowl 
(13)  in  case  32,  which  looks  more  like  a  stewpan.  But  it  has  a 


TANAGRINES. 


52  GREEK,      ETRUSCAN     AND     ROMAN    ANTIQUITIES 

handle  worked  out  in  attractive  designs  and  the  bottom  of  the 
bowl  is  ornamented  with  bas  reliefs.  Fine  reproductions  in  case 
4,  are  of  the  Graeco-Scythian  period,  the  originals  coming  from 
Kertch,  Russia.  The  articles  are  perfect  in  appearance,  restora- 
tions having  been  made,  and  they  are  impressive  in  their  decora- 
tive qualities  and  their  solidity.  Note  a  clasp  (321)  with  two 
winged  sphinxes  or  a  girdle  (320).  There  are  bracelets  of  this 
epoch,  of  exquisite  workmanship,  beautifully  reproduced.  A 
cup  with  buckle  (245)  is  in  case  8,  and  a  bowl  (254),  Byzantine, 
fifth  century,  will  show  the  elegance  and  sumptuousness  of  the 
period.  In  case  n,  an  antique  Roman  plate  will  also  convey  a 
good  idea  of  the  original  of  many  pieces  in  the  other  rooms. 


MARQUAND 

THE   PAINTINGS. 

N  giving  a  classified  account  of  the  pic- 
tures, as  well  as  the  other  objects  at  the 
Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art,  some  diffi- 
culty is  encountered  by  the  fact  that  a  num- 
ber of  the  collections  have  been  given  with 
the  distinct  understanding  that  they  should 
be  kept  intact  and  shown  together,  and  it 
thus  happens  that  in  some  cases  paintings 
and  objects  of  entirely  different  epochs  are 
arranged   side  by  side,  so  that  to  follow  the  schools  one  must 
go  from  gallery  to  gallery  or  interrupt  the  sequence.     But  the 
trustees,  while  regretting  this  in  some  notable  instances,  do  not 


54  THE    PAINTINGS 

believe  the  classification  of  objects  to  be  of  greater  importance 
than  their  acquisition,  and  they  have  therefore  made  a  virtue  of 
necessity. 

Possibly  no  one,  save  the  collector,  can  form  any  idea  of  the 
difficulty  and  expense  attendant  upon  the  obtaining  of  proper 
material  for  a  museum  in  these  days.  The  existent  institutions 
of  Europe  have  already  absorbed  many  of  the  rarest  objects  and 
stand  ready  to-day  to  pay  large  sums  for  authentic  works  of  art. 
In  the  old  days  the  great  painters  had  large  classes  of  pupils,  who 
assisted  them  in  their  labors,  and  who  later  imitated  their  mas- 
ters so  cleverly  as  to  almost  defy  detection.  Thus  many  spuri- 
ous examples  are  always  being  found.  But  with  care,  patience, 
discrimination  and  a  liberal  expenditure  of  money  much  has 
been  accomplished  in  the  forming  of  a  collection  of  the  old  mas- 
ters, so  that  to-day  our  museum  has  a  worthy  assemblage  of  the 
great  names  of  other  times.  In  gallery  number  six  is  the 
Henry  G.  Marquand  collection,  every  canvas  of  which  is  interest- 
ing, while  some  are  of  the  greatest  importance.  One  of  the 
most  striking  works  here  is  a  superb  portrait  by  Antony  Van 
Dyck,  of  Jam.es  Stuart,  Duke  of  Richmond  and  Lenox  (289). 
Happily  it  is  without  a  flaw  and  represents  this  splendid  painter 
at  his  best.  Indeed,  the  galleries  of  Europe  possess  few,  if  any, 
finer  examples  of  the  great  Flemish  artist.  It  depicts  the  royal 
subject  standing  in  an  easy  attitude,  dressed  in  a  dark  costume, 
with  a  large  lace  collar  about  his  neck,  underneath  which  there  is 
seen  a  broad,  blue  ribbon  with  a  silver  star.  From  a  distingue 
face  long,  blond  curls  fall  over  the  shoulders  and  the  right  hand 
rests  on  the  head  of  a  greyhound.  The  drawing  has  all  the  ele- 


PORTRAIT  OF  A   MAN. 


REMBRANDT. 


56  THE    PAINTINGS 

gance  of  the  master's  incomparable  style,  and  the  color  is  scarce- 
ly less  satisfactory.  It  is  all  complete  in  every  way  and  is  a 
veritable  master  work,  and  it  is  one  of  the  rarest  and  most  valued 
possessions  here. 

Four  examples  of  Rembrandt  will  give  the  visitor  an  ample 
idea  of  the  wonderful  Dutchman,  a  contemporary  of  Van  Dyck, 
but  one  who  saw  nature  very  differently.  The  portrait  of  a  man 
(274)  has  all  the  qualities  for  which  Rembrandt  was  famous,  and 
its  distinction  is  at  once  apparent,  for  it  stands  prominently  out 
from  the  walls  as  a  personal  piece  of  work,  though  it  is  simply  a 
likeness  of  a  Dutchman  of  the  period.  But  it  has  life  and  it 
looks  real;  beneath  the  exterior  there  seem  to  be  flesh  and 
blood,  and  one  scarcely  stops  to  think  of  the  manner  of  the  paint- 
ing, so  tangible  is  it  all.  A  careful  inspection,  however,  shows 
that  each  part  of  the  canvas  was  thought  out  and  labored  over 
conscientiously.  The  color  is  warm  and  sober,  the  disposition 
of  the  light  is  ably  managed,  and  the  iigure  is  drawn  with  con- 
summate knowledge  of  the  forms  and  the  anatomical  construc- 
tion of  the  human  body.  These,  it  may  be  well  to  remark,  are 
qualities  we  shall  find  pre-eminent  among  these  older  masters. 
In  their  technique  they  possessed  style  and  a  full  knowledge  of 
how  to  use  their  color  and  brushes,  but  they  seemingly  paid  little 
heed  to  the  manner  of  working,  concentrating  their  labors  in  an 
effort  to  get  at  the  truth  of  nature  as  they  saw  it.  This  im- 
presses the  spectator,  for  in  the  presence  of  their  work  one  is 
seldom  moved  to  consider  the  dexterity  of  the  handling.  It  is 
the  personal  interpretation  of  facts,  the  subtle  sentiment  and 
poetry,  that  attract. 


THE    PAINTINGS  57 

The  remaining  works  of  Rembrandt  are  a  soft  mellow  land- 
scape called  "The  Mills"  (276),  a  portrait,  not  so  complete  as 
the  one  described,  and  a  composition  entitled  "The  Adoration 
of  the  Shepherds"  (278),  which  is  possibly  a  preliminary  study 
for  another  picture  now  in  the  National  Gallery  in  London.  In 
this  last  is  seen  Rembrandt's  favorite  arrangement  of  concen- 
trating the  light  and  having  the  centre  of  his  picture  luminous, 
the  tones  gradually  fading  into  rich  darks,  a  scheme  which  was 
quite  original  with  him.  A  still  earlier  man  was  Hans  Holbein, 
who  is  represented  here  by  a  large  picture,  painted  on  a  panel 
which  is  unfortunately  cracked  down  the  entire  left  side,  though 
it  detracts  in  nowise  from  the  general  effect.  It  is  of  Arch- 
bishop Cranmer  (270).  The  work  of  this  man  is  characterized 
by  exceedingly  high  finish  and  fine  realization  of  character,  and 
this  painting  conveys  a  good  idea  of  his  talent.  His  naive 
earnestness  and  sincerity  are  very  engaging,  and  in  his  search- 
ings  for  line  and  form  he  has  labored  faithfully.  It  will  be  noted 
that  with  all  the  minuteness  of  the  drawing  and  brush  work 
there  is  no  sense  of  pettiness,  and  that  the  conception  is  broad 
and  comprehensive.  Leonardo  da  Vinci,  whose  portrait  of  a 
woman,  the  "Mona  Lisa,"  at  the  Louvre  Gallery,  in  Paris,  and 
the  large  mural  painting  of  "The  Last  Supper,"  in  Milan,  are  two 
of  the  most  famous  art  works  in  the  world,  has  here  the  portrait 
of  a  lady  (272)  which,  though  painted  in  his  earlier  manner,  is 
characteristic  of  the  man's  handiwork.  Here  again  are  great 
finish  and  research  after  character  which  are  rendered  in  a  per- 
sonal way  by  this  Italian  master.  A  fellow-countryman  of  the 
foregoing  was  Moroni,  highly  esteemed  as  a  portrait  painter,  of 


58  THE    PAINTINGS 

whom  an  excellent  example  is  here  of  a  man  in  a  fur-trimmed 
coat  (269).  The  work  speaks  for  itself  as  a  sturdy,  strong  piece 
of  painting. 

Rubens,  one  of  the  princes  of  the  art  world,  is  here  with  half  a 
dozen  works,  though  in  Mr.  Marquand's  room  he  is  at  his  best 
in  the  portrait  of  a  man  (284).  The  dashing,  facile  brush  work, 
the  florid  color  and  the  general  sumptuousness  of  the  Flemish 
painter's  methods  make  him  an  interesting  personality  in  his 
profession,  and  he  may  be  studied  here  with  profit.  Note  a 
modest  canvas  here  by  him,  called  "Pyramus  and  Thisbe"  (285). 
Frans  Hals  has  been  justly  called  the  painter's  painter,  because 
of  his  astonishingly  free  and  dexterous  manner  of  brushing  on 
his  pigment.  With  a  brush  loaded  with  color  he  swept  in  his 
planes,  he  modelled  his  forms  and  did  all  with  seeming  ease  and 
abandon,  at  once  the  admiration  and  the  despair  of  the  modern 
artist.  But  there  was  a  method  in  his  work,  as  may  be  seen  from 
a  careful  study  of  the  portrait  here,  of  a  man  (301),  which  is  a 
serious  likeness  of  a  Dutch  gentleman,  in  slashed  sleeves,  one 
hand  resting  on  his  hip  and  the  other  holding  a  hat.  He  has  also 
the  portrait  of  a  woman  said  to  be  his  wife  (305),  with  other 
work.  The  Spaniard,  Velasquez,  even  to  a  larger  extent  a  paint- 
er's painter,  and  a  greater  artist,  is  represented  several  times, 
though  not  always  at  his  best ;  indeed,  some  of  the  canvases  here 
attributed  to  him  are  of  doubtful  authenticity.  But  one  here, 
catalogued  as  a  portrait  of  himself,  gives  his  splendid  brush  work 
and  Subtle  modelling  of  forms.  It  is  numbered  304. 

There  are  some  genre  pictures  here  by  the  Dutchmen,  of  great 
merit  technically,  and  unusually  good  examples  of  an  art  that 


PORTRAIT   OF   A   WOMAN. 


FRANS   HALS. 


60  THE    PAINTINGS 

consisted  in  exploiting  dexterity  of  training,  in  recording  the 
life  of  the  times  and  thus  leaving  historical  documents  of  a  pic- 
torial nature  of  the  people  among  whom  these  honest  workers 
dwelt.  In  'The  Music  Lesson"  (309),  by  Gabriel  Metsu,  these 
characteristics  may  be  observed.  It  is  a  page  from  fashionable 
Dutch  life  of  the  seventeenth  century,  and  there  is  a  wealth  of 
charming  detail,  painted  with  marvellous  cleverness.  The  peo- 
ple, the  draperies  and  the  surrounding  still  life  of  the  chamber 
are  all  rendered  with  authority,  in  the  highest  excellence  of  the 
painter's  art,  and,  though  there  is  little  imagination  displayed,  it 
is  great,  nevertheless.  A  contemporary  is  Gerard  Terburg,  rep- 
resented twice  by  portraits,  one  of  which  (313)  is  characteristic, 
and  shows  a  middle-aged  man,  dressed  in  black.  Another 
Dutchman  is  Van  Hoogstraaten,  who  has  signed  portraits  of  a 
man  and  woman  (267),  in  the  sombre  dress  of  the  period. 

A  brilliant  colorist  and  a  master  of  graceful  decorative  compo- 
sition, the  Venetian  Tiepolo,  is  seen  here  wTith  only  a  modest 
panel,  evidently  a  scheme  for  a  large  composition  of  a  religious 
nature,  called  "Esther  Before  Ahasuerus"  (268).  But  though 
this  work  is  unimportant,  it  yet  contains  material  for  study,  and 
will  acquaint  the  visitor  with  some  idea  of  the  man  and  his 
methods,  a  familiarity  with  which  will  give  a  better  comprehen- 
sion of  the  sumptuousness  of  Venetian  art,  although  it  is  re- 
grettable that  the  greater  master  of  this  school,  Paolo  Veronese, 
is  unrepresented.  Back  again  to  the  Dutchman,  two  works,  by 
Jan  Van  Eyck,  a  very  early  painter,  claim  attention.  They  are 
"Virgin  and  Child"  (298)  and  "The  Deposition  from  the  Cross" 
(312).  Both  are  of  a  primitive  style  and  religious  subject,  and 


A   BURGOMASTER   OF  I,YDEN  AND   HIS  WIFE. 


CAREI,  VAN   MOOR. 


62  THE    PAINTINGS 

show  the  tendency  of  his  day,  when  the  artists  followed  along 
the  lines  set  by  the  formal,  naive  Italians,  deeply  imbued  with 
pietistic  sentiment  and  \vorked  in  peculiarly  stiff  and  naive 
methods.  Yet  these  little  panels  are  full  of  beauty  and  there  is 
a  simple,  reverential  feeling  that  demands  admiration  and  re- 
spect, while  the  technical  dexterity  is  of  no  mean  order.  It 
must  furthermore  be  remembered  that  the  methods  were  the 
results  of  tradition,  of  environment  and  the  times.  Some  two 
hundred  years  later  came  Albert  Cuyp,  painter  of  landscape  and 
cattle.  He  has  two  examples  here,  296  and  343,  both  of  which 
are  fully  representative. 

There  are  other  of  the  older  masters  in  No.  6  gallery,  but 
enough  has  been  said  to  convey  an  idea  of  the  men  and  the 
schools,  and  Mr.  Marquand's  English  pictures  will  be  noted 
later.  In  gallery  No.  i  are  some  of  the  Museum's  earliest 
acquisitions,  and  here  a  few  may  be  selected  as  representative, 
though  not  all  are  pure  gems.  Here  is  some  interesting  still  life 
by  Jan  Fyt  (1,4  and  57),  one  of  the  great  Dutch  animal  and  still 
life  painters,  and  the  work,  though  hard  and  unsympathetic, 
judged  by  the  standards  of  to-day,  is  sincere  and  faithful  and 
exceedingly  dexterous  notwithstanding.  Of  a  similar  order  is 
an  architectural  composition  by  the  Italian,  Pannini,  of  the 
interior  of  St.  Peter's  at  Rome  (49),  showing  fine  drawing  and 
monumental  patience  in  the  detail.  There  is  a  quaint  Van 
Ostade,  "The  Old  Fiddler"  (52),  ugly  possibly  in  motive,  but 
sincere  and  valuable  historically,  and  a  luminous  classical  Italian 
landscape  (53),  by  Cornelis  Huysmans.  A  canvas  to  move  one 
to  enthusiasm,  however,  is  by  a  Dutchman  little  known,  though 


THE    PAINTINGS  63 

highly  gifted,  who  has  a  picture  containing  two  portraits  (97)  of 
"A  Burgomaster  of  Leyden  and  His  Wife."  Carel  van  Moor  is 
the  painter,  and  this  work  is  admirably  conceived  and  carried 
out.  The  canvas  is  oval  shaped  and  the  figures  are  side  by  side. 
They  are  frankly  painted,  in  an  honest  way,  and  are  full  of  char- 
acter. Look  at  this  picture  well,  for  it  has  many  fine  qualities. 
Near  it  hangs  the  portrait  of  a  Dutch  gentleman,  by  Adrian  de 
Vries  (105),  the  head  of  which  is  frankly  laid  in  and  appetizingly 
painted.  Doubtful  attributions  and  pictures  by  unknown 
artists  of  the  various  schools  are  purposely  omitted  in  this 
review,  though  many  of  them  are  both  educational  and  inter- 
esting. 

Among  the  paintings  in  gallery  7,  loaned  or  presented  by  Mr. 
Hearn,  there  are  a  number  of  the  earlier  men,  including  a  picture 
by  Claude  Lorrain  (360),  the  distinguished  Frenchman,  whose 
influence  on  the  landscape  art  of  the  world  has  been  most  potent. 
Here  are  a  Dutch  interior  by  Pieter  de  Hooch  (338);  a  river 
scene  with  boats,  by  Adam  Willaerts  (339);  "A  Woman  Milk- 
ing," by  Albert  Cuyp  (343);  a  "Landscape  with  Figures,"  by 
Gaspard  Poussin  (342),  and  a  portrait  of  a  lady,  by  Theodorus 
Van  Thulden  (^44).  In  gallery  2,  a  few  older  painters  are 
seen  at  one  corner  of  the  room.  These  include  some  for  which 
the  museum  does  not  guarantee  the  authenticity,  and  among 
the  names  given  are  Carlo  Maratti,  with  a  portrait  of  Clement 
IX  (127),  Tiepelo,  Rubens  and  Poussin.  Taken  altogether,  the 
list  of  old  masters,  however,  is  a  goodly  one,  and  they  form  an 
interesting  group  for  the  study  of  art  development,  and  the 
student  who  goes  through  the  collection  carefully  will  get  an 


64  THE    PAINTINGS 

intelligent  idea  of  the  aims,  motives  and  technical  equipment 
of  the  men  who  have  influenced  the  world's  art  and  moulded  the 
aesthetic  taste  of  the  public. 


THE  RUBENS  GALLERY. 

EARLY  ENGLISHMEN. 

STUDY  of  the  English  painters  of  a  cen- 
tury or  more  ago  will  prove  highly  inter- 
esting  and  instructive,  for   the  men   pos- 
sessed   strong    personality,  excellent  tech- 
nical equipment  and  they  obtained  artistic 
results  in  spite  of  race  traditions,  environ- 
ment   and    circumstances.     Primarily,    the 
English  are  not  an  artistic  people.     Their 
racial  qualities  have  been  apparent  in  the 
applied  arts  and  in  things  eminently  practical,  for  they  are  sturdy, 
self-reliant  and  have  given  their  time  and  thought  to  commercial 
development,  to  colonization  and  to  matters  other  than  artistic. 


66  EARLY    ENGLISHMEN 

Moreover,  they  do  not  possess  the  temperament  of  the  Latin 
races  and  the  art  feeling  is  not  inherent  or  necessary  to  the  Ai, 
glo-Saxon.  But  there  flourished  in  the  British  Isles  during  the 
reigns  of  the  Second  and  Third  Georges  good  art  to  an  extent 
never  before  or  since  known  there.  The  fact  is  difficult  to  ac- 
count for,  but  it  remains  nevertheless,  and  there  is  here  at  the 
Museum  a  good  representation  of  these  painters,  whose  work  we 
may  now  examine. 

The  efforts  of  the  major  portion  of  these  artists  of  England 
were  directed  toward  portrait  painting,  and  it  is  pre-eminently 
there  that  they  hold  attention,  though  there  are  not  wanting  ex- 
amples of  art  in  a  landscape  way  that  are  serious  and  of  the  first 
order.  Although  composition  pictures  were  attempted,  the  re- 
sults were  rather  of  the  nature  of  groups  of  models  arranged  to- 
gether, presenting  in  the  end  only  portraits  of  the  principal  per- 
sonages, and  for  historical  work  they  fell  short.  Nor  was  there 
much  of  a  decorative  nature  in  their  canvases,  which  possessed 
rather  the  British  quality  of  strength,  frankness  and  solidity.  But 
the  work  was  honest,  engaging  and  of  the  greatest  interest,  and 
with  the  disappearance  of  the  last  of  the  coterie  the  art  of  Eng- 
land came  to  a  standstill,  for  there  were  practically  no  men  who 
came  forward  to  take  the  places  left  vacant. 

In  the  Marquand  and  the  Hearn  collections  are  the  bulk  of 
these  English  painters,  though  there  are  others  scattered 
through  the  galleries.  The  name  of  Hogarth  is  a  familiar  one, 
and  he  is  best  known  by  his  entertaining  satires  on  the  fashion- 
able life  of  his  time.  It  is  regretted  that  there  are  no  examples 
of  his  art  in  this  direction  here,  such,  for  instance,  as  may  be  seen 


EARLY    ENGLISHMEN  67 

at  the  National  Gallery  in  London;  but  he  was  also  a  portrait 
painter  of  rare  talent,  and  there  are  two  pictures  here,  catalogued 
in  his  name,  although  one  is  only  an  attribution.  But  the  por- 
trait in  the  Marquand  collection  is  undoubted  and  is  a  charming 
piece  of  child  life,  being  the  likeness  of  a  Miss  Rich  (265),  who  is 
represented  as  building  a  house  of  cards.  The  little  girl  is  dressed 
in  white  and  is  graceful  in  pose,  while  the  color  is  delicate  and 
the  painting  subtle  as  to  the  expression  of  the  forms  and  authori- 
tative as  to  the  general  treatment. 

Sir  Joshua  Reynolds,  who  was  the  first  President  of  the  Royal 
Academy  in  London,  was,  perhaps,  the  greatest  of  this  group  of 
painters;  he  is  in  evidence  at  the  Museum  with  five  canvases,  the 
largest  of  which  is  an  enormous  composition  containing  three 
life-size  figures,  the  portraits  of  the  Hon.  Henry  Fane  and  his 
guardians,  Inigo  Jones  and  Charles  Blair  (5).  It  is  florid  in  color, 
and  though  interesting,  does  not  contain  all  the  charm  of  the 
man's  work.  There  are  other  things  here  of  greater  interest  by 
him,  such  as  his  "Lady  Carew"  (283),  a  young  woman  simply  at- 
tired and  engagingly  rendered  in  simple  brush  work,  or  the  por- 
trait of  Mrs.  Angelo  (358),  executed  in  his  maturer  style.  Sir 
Thomas  Lawrence,  also  a  President  of  the  Royal  Academy,  has 
one  portrait  here,  of  Lady  Ellenborough  (354),  which  is  suavely 
painted  and  shows  great  freedom  in  execution.  Then  there  is  Sir 
Henry  Raeburn,  a  prominent  Scotch  member  of  this  group,  a 
sober,  earnest  painter,  who  has  here  the  portrait  of  a  man  (326). 
By  Sir  William  Beechey  there  is  a  capital  portrait  of  the  Duke  of 
York  (120)  and  of  a  lady  (350);  while  Harlow  (323),  with  a  por- 
trait of  the  artist  and  (336)  Lady  Barrow  and  daughter,  Hopp- 


68  EARIyY    ENGLISHMEN 

ner,  with  "The  Lady  with  the  Coral  Necklace"  (330),  and  Cotes, 
with  his  "Lady  Hardwicke"  (334),  are  all  represented. 

Following  closely  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds,  Thomas  Gainsbor- 
ough must  take  high  rank  among  the  representatives  of  early 
English  art,  for  he  excelled  in  portraiture  and  landscape,  and  ex- 
amples of  both  may  be  seen  here.  One  of  these  is  a  picture  of  a 
girl  with  a  cat  (281);  another  is  a  portrait  of  a  gentleman  (318), 
and  the  third  is  a  landscape  (315).  This  last,  which  is  a  large  can- 
vas, is  characteristic  and  gives  an  excellent  idea  of  his  manner  of 
rendering  nature  at  a  time  when  men  were  still  more  or  less  under 
the  influence  of  classical  traditions.  Included  among  the  por- 
trait men  are  two  painters  who,  though  foreigners,  are  identified 
with  English  art.  These  are  Sir  Peter  Lely  and  Sir  Godfrey 
Kneller.  Both  were  court  painters  to  Charles  II,  and  were  in 
fashionable  vogue  in  London  in  their  times.  They  had  come  to 
the  metropolis  and  found  favor  with  royal  patrons,  and  both  had 
those  qualities  that  commended  them  to  the  court  set.  Clever, 
dexterous  and  with  an  eye  to  the  pictorial  and  the  effective,  they 
made  their  sitters  to  be  possessed  of  attributes,  it  is  to  be  feared, 
they  did  not  always  hold  by  birthright.  Therefore  we  must  take 
their  likenesses  with  a  little  reserve,  though  in  some  cases  there 
will  be  found  excellent  artistic  achievements,  good  drawing  and 
a  nice  sense  of  color.  By  Lely,  a  portrait  of  Lord  Temple  (328) 
is  capital,  and  perhaps  as  good  an  example  of  this  man's  art  as 
may  be  found,  and  by  Kneller  there  is  a  portrait  of  Lady  Mary 
Berkeley  (327),  thoroughly  characteristic. 

The  landscape  men  among  these  English  are  much  later  in 
date,  and  the  collection  is  fairly  comprehensive.  The  names  in- 


70  EARLY   ENGLISHMEN 

elude  a  number  of  the  best,  and  there  are  at  least  two  examples 
of  the  greatest  of  them  all,  Turner.  In  Mr.  Marquand's  gallery 
there  is  a  river  scene  called  "Saltash"  (282),  with  a  barge  at  the 
dock  and  groups  of  men,  women  and  horses.  It  is  fine  in  color 
and  interesting  in  arrangement,  but  a  more  important  composi- 
tion by  this  man  will  be  found  in  the  Catharine  Wolfe  gallery,  en- 
titled "The  Whale  Ship"  (396),  which  has  been  the  subject  of 
much  discussion.  The  canvas  is  moderate  in  size  and  the  scheme 
is  rather  one  of  color  than  of  any  definite  form,  and  although  the 
title  is  comprehensive  enough,  much  must  be  taken  for  granted 
in  looking  at  the  picture.  After  all,  however,  this  is  a  matter  of 
small  moment,  for  the  artist  has  exploited  a  fine  scheme  of  color 
and  has  given  a  sense  of  movement  and  of  the  immensity  of  the 
sea,  and  the  tones  are  of  a  peculiar  richness  and  luminosity  that 
few  men  have  achieved  at  any  time.  The  work  will  bear  long  and 
patient  study,  for  the  painter  has  expressed  an  idea  which  is  to 
give  the  feeling  of  the  brilliancy  of  light,  reflected  from  sky  to 
water,  of  motion  to  wave  and  speeding  vessel,  and  of  action  in 
the  movement  of  the  great  leviathan  who  spouts  and  tumbles  the 
sea.  By  comparison  with  the  surrounding  work  only  may  one 
judge  of  its  power,  for  all  the  other  canvases  near  it  seem  heavy, 
dull  and  colorless. 

It  will  be  interesting  to  remember  that  it  was  an  Englishman 
who  gave  the  impetus  to  the  modern  school  of  landscape  paint- 
ing and  that  to-day  the  artists  are  working,  many  of  them  at 
least,  on  lines  formulated  by  John  Constable,  who  is  represented 
by  two  large  and  important  canvases  in  the  Marquand  collection, 
and  two  more  in  the  Hearn  group  of  pictures,  of  which  one  (329) 


EARLY    ENGLISHMEN  71 

is  a  fine  piece  of  color.  Painting  with  great  breadth  and  direct- 
ness, combined  with  fidelity  in  depicting  nature,  at  a  time  when 
the  classical  landscape  was  the  accepted  manner  of  composing 
the  beauties  of  out-of-doors,  it  required  courage  to  stand  up  for 
his  sense  of  what  the  artist  decided  was  right,  and  Constable 
found  few  of  his  countrymen  who  either  comprehended  his  mo- 
tives, or  who  were  attracted  enough  to  become  possessed  of  his 
canvases.  But  he  persevered,  and  curiously  enough  his  first  en- 
couragement came  from  the  French,  where  his  genius  was  recog- 
nized, and  where  he  was  awarded  recompenses  at  the  exhibitions. 
Indeed,  it  was  Constable  who  made  possible  the  Barbizon  school 
of  painters,  for  all  of  this  exceptionally  strong  group  of  French- 
men owe  their  inspiration  directly  to  him,  and  their  technique  is 
his,  filtered  through  their  own  artistic  temperaments.  In  the 
"Valley  Farm"  (290)  and  "A  Loch  on  the  Stour"  (288),  which 
hang  on  either  side  of  the  large  Van  Dyck  in  the  Marquand  gal- 
lery, one  may  get  an  idea  of  the  man's  methods  of  work,  though 
in  the  matter  of  color  they  are  not  so  satisfactory,  for  they  are 
more  or  less  in  monochrome  and  are  evidently  large  studies  for 
pictures,  and  it  is  a  curious  fact  that  Constable  had  a  way  of 
making  his  studies  larger  than  his  completed  pictures,  reversing 
the  order  of  work  of  most  of  the  painters.  But  one  may  see  the 
big  conception  of  the  man  who  bothered  little  over  the  less  im- 
portant details  of  nature,  who  strove  to  obtain  the  larger  aspect 
and  to  record  the  salient  facts  of  the  case.  How  well  he  succeed- 
ed in  doing  this  his  great  pictures  will  show,  and  the  element  of 
truth  is  ever  potent  in  all  his  work,  for  although  he  composed  his 
pictures,  that  is  to  say,  he  did  not  hesitate  to  leave  out  an  object 


72  EARLY    ENGLISHMEN 

that  did  not  contribute  to  the  pictorial  quality  of  the  canvas,  or 
to  add  anything  he  thought  would  improve  it,  whatever  he  did 
was  the  result  of  close  observation  of  nature  and  he  held  to  the 
proper  relations  of  light  and  shade,  to  what  the  artists  term 
values. 

Other  men  in  a  landscape  way  here  are  James  Stark  (320) 
and  his  master,  John  Crome  (287  and  347),  both  sturdy,  honest 
workers,  and  Richard  Wilson  (321,  351  and  361),  who  enjoys 
a  reputation  for  his  classical  landscapes,  which  has  caused  him 
to  be  much  sought  after  by  the  collectors.  There  are  also  Bon- 
nington  (310  and  319),  painter  of  shore  scenes,  and  George 
Morland,  he  whose  pathetic  history  is  one  of  the  saddest  stories 
of  the  art  world,  for  he  threw  away  his  talents  in  a  life  of  dissipa- 
tion that  kept  him  for  the  greater  part  of  his  career  making  pot 
boilers  with  which  to  pay  his  scores  at  the  taverns.  He  is  rep- 
resented by  a  little  figure  piece  called  "Weary  Wayfarers"  (353) 
and  a  larger  canvas  of  "The  Midday  Meal"  (333),  both  of  which 
give  a  good  idea  of  his  manner  and  subjects. 

These  complete,  with  a  few  others  not  named,  the  English 
school  as  represented  here.  Recent  years  have  seen  the  school 
exploited  in  this  country  to  an  unusual  extent.  For  various  rea- 
sons the  work  had  seldom  before  found  its  way  over  the  ocean 
to  our  markets.  Englishmen  are  appreciative  of  their  own,  and 
most  of  the  better  pictures  were  kept  in  the  old  families,  where 
they  had  been  since  their  purchase.  But  as  the  heads  of  houses 
died  off,  as  families  were  broken  up  and  new  heirs  fell  into  pos- 
session of  the  estates,  for  one  reason  or  another,  some  of  the  col- 
lections went  under  the  hammer,  and  the  canvases  gradually 


EARLY    ENGLISHMEN  73 

became  separated  from  each  other.  Examples  of  the  work  of 
the  Frenchmen  of  1830  having  become  not  only  highly  ex- 
pensive but  rare,  for  there  was  an  end  of  the  production  after  a 
time,  the  collectors  looked  about  for  new  fads,  and  the  early 
Englishmen  had  much  to  offer  in  every  way,  and  so  the  last  few 
winters  have  seen  many  of  their  paintings  in  the  shops  and  in 
the  large  and  important  sales.  To  such  as  care  to  become  ac- 
quainted with  them,  a  careful  study  of  the  pictures  at  the  Met- 
ropolitan Museum  will  be  worth  the  while,  for,  as  has  been  said, 
the  examples  here  are  fully  representative  of  all  their  virtues, 
and,  indeed,  their  faults,  both  of  which  are  important  factors  in 
the  study  of  pictures,  no  less  than  of  individuals. 


HORSE  FAIR. 


ROSA  BONHEUR. 


THE  FRENCH  PAINTERS. 

F  there  is  one  form  of  art  expression  that 
the  American  has  learned  to  appreciate  dur- 
ing the  last  two  score  years,  it  is  that  of  the 
French,  whose  work  has  been  purchased 
freely  and  has  been  seen  in  the  exhibitions, 
the  shops  and  the  illustrated  periodicals, 
until  it  is  thoroughly  familiar  to  the  general 
public,  whether  connoisseur  or  layman.  The 
Museum  is  particularly  rich  in  examples  of 
the  work  of  the  Gaul;  indeed,  no  public  gallery  outside  of  Paris 
is  so  complete,  and  even  in  the  capital  of  France  itself  there  is 
scarcely  any  better  collection  to  be  found. 


THE    FRENCH    PAINTERS  75 

For  fully  thirty  years  or  more,  Paris  has  enjoyed  the  reputa- 
tion of  being  the  centre  of  the  art  world,  achieving  this  distinc- 
tion when  the  tide  of  artistic  emigration  set  away  from  Rome. 
Her  painters  and  sculptors  since  that  time  have  directed  the 
tendencies  of  aesthetics,  have  inaugurated  all  the  new  move- 
ments, or  at  least  the  majority  of  them,  and  generally  have  given 
great  impetus  to  all  matters  appertaining  to  art.  There  has,  too, 
been  great  encouragement  in  an  official  way  in  France;  schools 
have  been  the  best;  the  city  has  possessed  advantages  in  the  mat- 
ter of  healthful  climate,  beautiful  galleries,  parks  and  econo- 
my of  living,  while  the  exhibitions  have  attracted  not  only  a 
large  number  of  contributions  from  the  best  of  the  living  work- 
ers, but  what  is  quite  as  necessary,  a  large  attendance  of  patrons 
and  people  interested  and  a  market  has  been  opened  for  the  prac- 
tical encouragement  of  the  profession  until  the  famous  city  has 
become  the  Mecca  of  the  art  worker  and  all  eyes  are  turned 
thereto.  Among  all  these  visitors  the  American  has  been  a  steady 
and  liberal  buyer,  and  if  the  general  public  has  not  always  bought 
with  due  discrimination,  the  connoisseurs  have  obtained  a  splen- 
did showing  of  the  best  of  French  art.  Much  thus  bought  has 
come  to  New  York,  and  many  of  our  citizens  have  been  liberal 
contributors  to  the  Museum,  while  through  the  munificence  of 
Miss  Catharine  Wolfe,  who  left  at  her  death  not  only  her  large 
and  attractive  collection  of  pictures  to  the  Museum,  but  the  sum 
of  some  two  hundred  thousand  dollars  to  keep  and  augment  it, 
we  have  an  unusually  fine  showing  for  the  study  and  analysis  of 
the  school. 

A  number  of  the  pictures  here  are  interesting,  of  course,  pure- 


76  THE    FRENCH     PAINTERS 

ly  from  the  literary  side  and  do  not  represent  the  best  of  the 
French  art  thought.  Some  of  these  were  selected  from  motives 
of  personal  interest  in  incident  or  happening  not  always  con- 
nected with  the  hightest  art  ideals;  but  after  all,  they  serve  to 
show  a  historical  sequence  and  give  record  of  the  story  of  the 
progress  of  the  painter  of  the  nineteenth  century  influenced 
by  passing  public  fads,  commercial  interests  or  the  demands 
of  fashion.  But  there  is  sober  work  here  in  abundance  and 
technical  achievements  of  no  mean  order,  while  many  of  the 
masters  of  our  own  days  are  shown  at  their  best.  One  of  the 
most  famous  pictures,  which  in  its  day  had  a  strong  influence  on 
the  artists  of  all  countries,  is  the  "Joan  of  Arc"  (552),  by  Jules 
Bastien-Lepage,  a  young  Frenchman  who  was  cut  down  prac- 
tically at  the  beginning  of  his  career,  though  not  before  he  had 
gained  great  fame.  The  son  of  people  in  humble  circum- 
stances, this  man  came  to  Paris  and  made  a  place  for  him- 
self in  the  schools  where  he  soon  took  high  honors,  and 
when  this  picture  appeared  in  the  Paris  Salon  it  cre- 
ated little  short  of  a  revolution,  for  its  was  a  departure  so 
radical,  so  novel  and  so  impressive,  that  the  young  genera- 
tion of  painters  followed  him  like  sheep.  The  next  year  saw 
a  flood  of  pictures  worked  out  in  the  same  direction,  in 
frank  imitation  of  this  young  master.  To  begin  with,  the  picture 
was  painted  out  of  doors,  while  hitherto  a  studio  was  thought 
good  enough  wherein  to  execute  compositions;  thus  the  light 
was  diffused  over  the  figure  and  over  the  surrounding  landscape, 
giving  a  truthful  effect,  or  at  least  an  effect  nearer  the  truth  than 
was  the  case  with  those  who,  standing  the  model  against  a  win- 


THE    FRENCH     PAINTERS 


77 


JOAN   OF  ARC. 


BASTIEN-I^PAGE. 


dow  indoors,  were  satisfied  to  take  such  haphazard  results  as 
they  might  get.  Then,  the  model  had  been  painted  faithfully, 
without  conventionalization,  as  was  the  vogue.  The  artist  had 
extenuated  nothing,  but  had  represented  the  dull,  heavy  peasant 
girl,  in  all  her  awkwardness,  in  an  attitude  without  grace,  though 
of  intense  interest;  and  that,  too,  was  also  a  departure.  All  this 
seems  simple  enough  now,  for  other  men  have  made  it  appear 
conventional  to  a  certain  degree.  Then,  however,  it  was  all  new. 
But  the  visitor  will  forget  the  technique  in  looking  at  the  well- 


78  THE    FRENCH    PAINTERS 

told  composition,  for  Bastien-Lepage  has  brought  the  pathetic 
story  of  the  Orleans  maid  vividly  before  the  spectator  and  done 
it  all  with  convincing  sincerity  and  charm. 

Of  an  entirely  different  order  is  a  large  canvas  by  the  famous 
genre  painter  Meissonier,  who  was  noted  for  the  minuteness  of 
his  work,  and  while  this  is  the  largest  composition  he  ever  at- 
tempted, it  is  remarkable  for  the  same  qualities  that  are  appar- 
ent in  his  other  pictures,  and  though  he  has  spread  himself  over 
an  imposing  surface,  he  displays  the  careful  preparation,  the 
astonishing  drawing  and  the  exactness  for  which  he  is  famed. 
Here  is  a  battle  scene,  or  at  least  that  portion  of  the  battle  when 
the  troops  are  dashing  past  the  Emperor  on  their  way  to  the 
charge,  and  the  scene  is  full  of  mingled  horses  and  riders  in  the 
picturesque  uniforms  of  the  Empire.  It  is  interesting  to  the  last 
degree  and  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  technical  achievements 
of  the  century,  rather  than  a  great  picture.  It  is  called  'Tried- 
land,  1807,"  and  is  numbered  541.  There  are  four  more  works 
by  the  same  man.  One  is  a  "Man  Reading"  (374);  another  is 
called  'The  Sign  Painter"  (403);  a  third  is  of  the  brothers 
Adrain  and  William  Van  de  Velde  (406),  and  the  last  is  a  minute 
little  panel,  of  two  soldiers  (427),  exquisitely  finished.  The  col- 
lection gives  a  thoroughly  good  idea  of  the  man. 

An  earlier  example  of  a  painter  who  has  enjoyed  great  popu- 
larity is  a  "Religious  Procession  in  Brittany"  (417),  by  Jules  Bre- 
ton. This  is  a  quite  remarkable  piece  of  work,  containing  a  mass 
of  figures  of  the  peasants  of  this  queer  corner  of  France,  going  to 
worship  on  one  of  the  fete  days  of  the  year.  It  is  truthful,  full  of 
character,  and  composed  admirably.  As  a  historical  record  of  a 


THE    FRENCH    PAINTERS 


79 


,    1807. 


MEISSONIER. 


custom  that  is  a  survival  of  the  Middle  Ages  it  is  instructive, 
while  it  is  better  in  workmanship  and  more  sincere  than  later 
works  by  the  same  man,  who  has  been  so  much  in  vogue  of  late 
years  that  he  has  been  unable  to  give  the  same  serious  thought 
to  his  work  as  is  shown  here.  He  has  one  more  canvas,  called 
"Girl  Knitting"  (41 1).  A  picture  well  known  through  reproduc- 
tions is  Rosa  Bonheur's  "Horse  Fair"  (654),  and  though  the 
artist  is  represented  by  other  work,  this  is  the  picture  which  may 
be  said  to  have  made  her  reputation,  and  which  best  rep- 
resents her;  it  was  painted  away  back  in  1852.  The  canvas  is 
very  large  and  the  horses  are  life  size.  The  title  is  fully  explana- 
tory, and  the  animals  being  led  past  the  spectators  are  full  of  ac- 
tion and  show  the  touch  of  one  who  was  familiar  with  their  an- 
atomy and  construction,  who  drew  and  painted  them  most  real- 
istically. Another  large  picture  and  a  representative  one  of  ab- 


8o  THE    FRENCH    PAINTERS 

sorbing  interest,  both  as  the  able  work  of  an  able  painter  and  as 
the  record  of  an  historical  incident,  is  "The  Defence  of  Cham- 
pigny"  (566),  by  Edouard  Detaille,  one  of  the  foremost  military 
painters  of  the  age  and  a  pupil  of  Meissonier.  It  is  a  scene  during 
the  late  war  between  France  and  Germany,  and  is  a  vivid  state- 
ment of  the  facts,  for  the  artist  was  a  participant  in  the  thrilling 
scenes  he  has  so  often  put  on  canvas.  But  here  there  are  admir- 
able drawing  and  a  full  knowledge  of  the  ways  of  the  French 
soldier;  a  correct  portrayal  of  uniform  and  equipment,  and  a  gen- 
eral feeling  of  the  horrors,  as  well  as  the  spectacular  effect,  of 
war.  One  may  examine  this  very  closely,  for  nothing  about  the 
composition  has  been  neglected  and  there  are  many  incidents 
that  help  to  make  the  general  story  of  the  fight.  There  are  two 
or  three  more  pictures  by  this  man,  but  they  are  only  variations 
on  this  same  theme  and  this  work  is  much  the  best. 

J.  L.  Gerome,  painter  of  the  Orient  and  generally  considered 
one  of  the  modern  masters  of  composition,  has  four  pictures  here. 
All  his  work  possesses  the  literary  quality  rather  than  that  of  the 
artistic.  His  drawing  is  a  little  hard  and,  though  academically 
correct,  a  trifle  unsympathetic,  and  his  color  is  without  much 
unction.  In  short,  he  is  scholarly  rather  than  artistic,  but  he  is 
most  interesting  and  he  has  enjoyed  a  rare  popularity  in  past 
years  among  collectors.  His  "Prayer  in  a  Mosque,  Old  Cairo" 
(521),  will  give  an  excellent  idea  of  his  art,  though  there  are  other 
things  here.  The  careful  finish,  the  absolute  fidelity  to  detail  and 
the  archaeological  knowledge  displayed,  are  remarkable  to  a  de- 
gree. It  is  curious  that  a  pupil  of  this  man  should  have  gone 
even  to  greater  lengths  as  to  finish  and  achieved  the  largest  dis- 


THE    FRENCH    PAINTERS 


Si 


RELIGIOUS   PROCESSION  IN   BRITTANY. 


JULES  BRETON. 


tinction  in  an  artistic  way.  with  much  the  same  order  of  work, 
which,  in  addition  to  the  dexterity  and  the  scholarliness,  yet  had 
with  all  its  finish  the  greatest  charm  of  feeling,  so  that  where 
Gerome  leaves  one  admiring,  but  cold,  the  pupil  arouses  a  feel- 
ing of  enthusiasm.  This  man  is  Charles  Bargue,  who,  though  he 
painted  but  few  pictures  in  a  short  life,  and  left  but  a  score  at  his 
death,  did  them  all  so  well  as  to  make  each  a  masterpiece  of  tech- 
nical excellence,  and,  like  the  Spaniard  Fortuny,  by  the  force  of 
his  dexterity  with  the  brush,  to  have  thereby  raised  the  art  to  the 
highest  point  of  excellence.  There  are  two  of  Bargue's  pictures 
here.  One  is  called  "A  Bashi  Bazouk"  (492),  and  is  the  last  word 
in  the  dexterous  handling  of  paint  and  brush.  There  is  no  point 


82  THE    FRENCH    PAINTERS 

so  small  that  it  has  escaped  the  artist,  yet  all  is  done  with  a  feel- 
ing of  breadth,  and  no  littleness  mars  the  panel  in  any  way.  While 
the  manipulation  of  the  material  will  bear  microscopic  examina- 
tion, it  is  highly  artistic  and  of  interest  to  both  the  painter  and 
the  layman.  The  other  is  a  "Sleeping  Footman"  (597),  and  is  a 
fine  example  of  his  expert  brush  work. 

Many  reproductions  have  been  made  of  "The  Storm"  (525), 
by  P.  A.  Cot,  a  large  picture  representing  a  young  man  and 
woman,  with  a  background  of  tropical  landscape,  fleeing  before 
the  rain.  Both  are  scantily  clad  and  there  is  a  touch  of  human 
interest  that  has  made  the  work  highly  popular.  It  is  dexter- 
ously painted  and  is  surely  attractive,  if  not  great,  and,  after  all, 
great  art  is  rare.  The  artist  himself  made  many  replicas  of  this 
work.  There  are  several  examples  of  figure  work  by  Leon  Bon- 
nat,  better  known  as  a  portrait  painter,  his  fine  likeness  here  of 
John  Taylor  Johnson  (635),  the  first  President  of  the  Museum, 
showing  his  talent.  His  "Egyptian  Fellah  Woman  and  Child" 
(487)  is  strong  and  full  of  character  study,  conveying  an  abiding 
sense  of  the  wretched  race,  while  his  "Roman  Girl  at  a  Fountain" 
(528)  shows  the  man  at  a  period  when  he  worked  in  his  earlier 
fashion  with  the  memories  of  his  life  in  Italy  fresh  within  him, 
for  he  was  a  student  in  Rome  for  many  years.  A  favorite  picture, 
and  one  that  attracts  attention  for  its  realism,  as  well  as  for  its 
size  and  dexterous  treatment,  is  "The  Organ  Rehearsal"  (637), 
by  Henri  Lerolle,  representing  the  interior  of  a  church,  with  a 
young  girl  standing  in  the  choir,  singing.  It  is  striking  and 
painted  with  great  truth  in  all  the  details.  This  same  man  in 
recent  years  has  given  his  attention  to  landscapes  mostly,  where 


THE  STORM. 


P.  A.  COT. 


84  THE    FRENCH    PAINTERS 

the  figures  are  more  subordinated,  and  he  has  succeeded  in  em- 
bodying therein  much  poetry  and  sentiment,  but  this  picture  is 
a  veritable  tour  de  force. 

Some  of  the  other  Frenchmen  include  the  able  landscapist,  F. 
L.  Francais  (140),  one  of  the  best  of  the  modern  landscape 
painters;  Georges  Clarin  (152),  a  figure  man;  Albert  Dewant, 
whose  large  picture  of  "Emigrants  Departing  from  Havre" 
(162)  attracts  much  notice;  Charles  Jacque  (180-503),  an  emi- 
nent painter  of  sheep;  Jules  Le  Febvre  (192,  197  and  501),  an 
academic  draughtsman,  but  able  and  scholarly  in  his  canvases 
of  beautiful  women ;  another  of  the  same  order,  Alexander  Caba- 
nel,  one  of  the  most  popular  of  the  modern  men,  who  has  here  a 
portrait  of  Miss  Wolfe  (472),  and  other  works  (202,  212,  376,  453 
and  545);  Leloir  (405,  465,  478  and  480),  and  Vibert  (398,  401, 
443  and  491),  painters  whose  principal  charm  lies  in  a  certain 
technical  dexterity  and  the  ability  to  make  an  interesting  literary 
composition.  Thomas  Couture  is  a  much  more  serious  man  and 
is  the  well-known  painter  of  a  famous  picture  in  the  gallery  of 
the  Luxembourg  Palace,  in  Paris,  called  "Romans  of  the  De- 
cadence." He  is  represented  here  by  a  fine  example,  "The  Idle 
Student"  (412),  which,  though  simple  in  motive  and  depicting 
only  a  young  man  lolling  about,  is  nevertheless  painted  in  an 
authoritative  manner,  with  certainty  of  touch,  bigness  of  expres- 
sion and  generally  in  a  way  to  impress.  William  Bouguereau  is 
here,  too,  with  two  pictures  (211  and  422)  that  will  doubtless 
appeal  to  many  of  the  visitors,  for  he  enjoys  a  great  popularity. 
By  Herbert,  a  distinguished  painter,  and  the  head,  at  one  time, 
of  the  French  Academy  at  Rome,  there  is  a  head,  exquisitely 


SLEEPING  FOOTMAN. 


CHARGES  BARGUE. 


86  THE    FRENCH    PAINTERS 

executed  and  full  of  sentiment  (431).  J.  J.  Henner,  a  poet  with 
his  brush,  though  he  is  continually  singing  the  same  air,  is  here 
with  "A  Bather"  (444),  sentimentally  vague  and  mysterious  in 
color  and  original  in  suggestion,  and  there  is  Alfred  Stevens, 
who,  though  Belgian  born,  is  French  by  adoption.  He  has  a 
figure  piece  called  "The  Japanese  Robe"  (446),  and  "After  the 
Ball"  (not  numbered),  both  of  which  are  painted  with  much  dis- 
tinction and  ability. 

One  of  the  best  of  the  modern  cattle  painters,  Emile  Van 
Marck,  has  a  representative  example  (485),  and  a  brother  of 
Rosa  Bonheur,  by  name  Francois  Auguste  Bonheur,  has  a  splen- 
did picture  of  cows  in  the  woods  (563)  that  should  by  all  means 
be  studied  closely,  for  it  is  a  most  realistic  rendition  of  the  sub- 
ject and  worthy  of  high  praise.  One  more  large  modern  picture 
must  receive  extended  notice.  It  is  by  Leon  L'Hermitte,  and 
is  called  "The  Vintage"  (570).  The  scene  represents  a  vineyard 
full  of  workers,  and  the  locality  is  the  South  of  France.  L'Her- 
mitte is  one  of  the  best  equipped  of  the  modern  men  in  France, 
and  his  drawing  and  painting  are  above  'reproach  in  every  way. 
To  all  this  splendid  training  he  adds  a  sentiment  and  a  delicate 
feeling  thoroughly  artistic,  all  of  which  may  be  seen  in  this  can- 
vas, which  portrays  the  scene  and  gives  the  character  of  the 
peasant  life  most  effectively.  The  color,  too,  is  full  of  charm, 
and  the  execution  is  faultless.  This  man  is  recognized  as  one  of 
the  foremost  of  living  painters  and  his  work  excites  the  admira- 
tion of  his  brother  painters,  as  well  as  of  the  public,  and  though 
he  does  not  generally  essay  such  large  works,  the  present  exam- 
ple loses  none  of  the  attractiveness  of  his  smaller  canvases. 


THE  IDI,E  STUDENT. 


THOMAS  COUTURE. 


88  THE    FRENCH    PAINTERS 

• 

Harpignies,  another  charming  painter  of  landscapes,  is  repre- 
sented by  one  example  called  "Moonrise"  (562),  which  gives  an 
excellent  idea  of  his  methods  and  color. 

It  is  to  the  men  of  what  is  known  as  the  Barbizon  school 
that  our  attention  is  now  called  in  closing  this  review  of  French 
work.  They  were  a  group  of  earnest  workers  who,  departing 
from  the  academical  methods  of  painting  that  prevailed  in 
France  about  the  thirties,  broke  away  from  traditions  and  went 
out  before  nature  to  endeavor  to  realize  in  a  more  faithful  man- 
ner her  great  truths.  They  settled  in  a  litle  village  on  the  bor- 
ders of  the  forest  of  Fontainebleau,  called  Barbizon,  and  they 
labored  for  years,  some  of  them  ending  their  days  there.  Millet, 
one  of  the  greatest  of  the  coterie,  a  figure  painter,  is  unfortu- 
nately unrepresented  here,  but  of  the  others,  landscape  men, 
there  is  a  fair  showing,  and  in  the  case  of  Theodore  Rousseau  the 
Museum  possesses  one  of  his  finest  examples  in  a  panel  recently 
acquired,  called  "Edge  of  the  Woods"  (392),  a  superb  achieve- 
ment, painted  with  masterly  comprehension  of  forms  and  the 
anatomical  construction  o-f  the  landscape  such  as  few  men  have 
ever  possessed.  There  is  a  blue  sky,  flecked  with  white  clouds, 
some  trees  and  broken  ground,  and  the  subject  is  simplicity  it- 
self. But  the  treatment  is  convincing,  and  the  solidity  of  the 
scene,  the  truthfulness  of  the  relation  of  earth,  sky  and  atmos- 
phere, are  all  wonderfully  rendered. 

Troyon,  another  of  this  group,  was  the  greatest  of  modern 
cattle  painters,  understanding  the  animals  thoroughly  and  brush- 
ing them  in  with  great  simplicity  and  directness.  There  are  two 
of  his  canvases  here.  They  are  called  "Holland  Cattle"  (494) 


THE    FRENCH    PAINTERS  89 

and  "Study  of  a  White  Cow"  (506).  Daubigny  (156,  441  and 
511),  Diaz  (203,  380,  428,  475,  517  and  534),  and  Dupre  (206, 
369,  433  and  481)  form  a  trio  well  known  among  these  honest, 
sturdy  painters,  and  they  are  all  here.  They  have  power,  frank- 
ness and  qualities  either  of  color,  drawing  or  interesting  motive 
of  composition,  to  commend  them  to  careful  study  on  the  part 
of  the  visitor.  Last  of  the  crowd  is  the  poetic  Corot  (146,  166, 
167,  181,  375  and  532),  who  found  in  the  early  morning  grays  of 
nature  inspiration  and  whose  rendition  of  vague,  tender  phases 
of  out  of  doors  was  admirable.  To  many  his  works  are  sealed 
books,  and  perhaps  seem  incomplete,  but  to  those  who  have 
studied  nature  carefully,  who  are  familiar  with  unusual  effects  of 
subtle  color  and  the  passing  moments  of  delicate  tones,  of  lumi- 
nous bits  of  woods  bathed  in  the  early  light  of  the  morning,  there 
is  much  to  interest  and  impress.  A  half  dozen  canvases  here  by 
him  will  be  worth  the  while  for  the  visitor  to  linger  before,  to  try 
and  analyze  the  charm,  the  truth  and  the  poetry  of  the  artist's 
efforts.  Courbet,  too,  a  realistic  if  somewhat  brutal  painter,  is 
represented  with  a  "Coast  Scene,"  unnumbered. 

There  are  two  painters  whose  names  must  be  added  to  this  list 
of  Frenchmen,  and  the  most  important  of  these  is  Edouard  Ma- 
net, a  man  who  had  an  immense  influence  on  the  art  of  his  day, 
and  who  has  left  many  followers  who  if  they  do  not  paint  exactly 
like  him,  at  least  have  made  his  ideas  their  own,  though  now  and 
then  thinly  disguised  under  a  somewhat  different  temperament. 
Manet  was  a  pupil  of  Couture,  but  he  soon  rebelled  against 
academic  training,  and  seeking  greater  liberty  in  his  searchings 
for  the  scintillation  of  light  on  his  canvases,  he  abandoned  the 


90  THE    FRENCH    PAINTERS 

old  methods  and  sought  novel  ways  of  interpreting  nature.  At 
first  he  was  received  with  derision  and  even  contempt,  but  later 
it  began  to  be  apparent  that  there  wras  something  more  to  his 
work  than  mere  eccentricity.  Rejected  again  and  again  at  the 
exhibitions,  he  nevertheless  had  the  courage  of  conviction,  and 
he  lived  to  see  himself  taken  seriously.  He  was  the  first  of  the 
modern  men  to  work  entirely  in  the  open  air.  He  posed  his 
models  out  of  doors,  and  though  now  some  of  his  efforts  look 
black  and  heavy,  when  they  were  first  painted  they  had  certain 
qualities  which  the  other  men  who  drew  better  and  painted  more 
authoritatively  did  not  possess. 

He  may  be  seen  here  with  two  pictures,  one  a  "Boy  with  a 
Sword"  (568)  and  the  other  "Girl  with  a  Parrot"  (656),  and 
both  are  characteristic  of  his  manner  of  work.  He  painted  with 
considerable  breadth  and  directness,  and  he  occupied  himself 
with  expressing  the  facts  of  nature,  generally,  it  must  be  said, 
chosen  with  little  regard  either  to  the  decorative  or  the  pictur- 
esque. He  was  of  greater  moment  as  the  founder  of  a  school 
rather  than  as  the  delineator  of  artistic  subjects  or  the  translator 
of  nature  in  her  most  attractive  moods,  but  he  must  be  taken 
seriously,  for  his  influence  on  the  men  of  his  time  was  potent, 
and  these  two  pictures  should  be  examined  closely  as  having  im- 
portant bearing  on  the  tendencies  of  the  men  who  followed  him, 
for  he  turned  the  tide  of  the  art  thought  of  the  last  half  century 
in  an  entirely  different  channel  from  where  it  had  flowed  calmly 
for  many  years. 

More  conventional,  but  unusually  brilliant  in  a  technical  way, 
Benjamin  Constant  has  enjoyed  a  reputation  in  Paris  for  a  quar- 


THE    FRENCH    PAINTERS  91 

ter  of  a  century,  and  he  is  in  evidence  here  with  a  large  and  aston- 
ishingly clever  performance,  hung  in  the  grand  hall,  which  is  on 
a  canvas  over  twelve  feet  one  way  by  twenty-one  the  other.  It 
represents  the  Emperor  Justinian  in  counsel,  and  was  shown  in 
the  Paris  Salon  of  1888.  The  gorgeousness  of  Byzantine  deco- 
ration of  gold  and  glittering  colors,  the  stately  elegance  of  the 
surroundings  of  the  great  ruler,  with  the  many  quaint  and  showy 
costumes,  have  all  afforded  the  artist  ample  play  of  his  fancy  for 
color  and  invention,  and  the  work  is  a  marvel  of  dexterity  and 
academic  training. 


SPRING. 


ANTON   MAUVE. 


EUROPEAN  PAINTERS. 

PPOSITE  Constant's  enormous  composi- 
tion of  the  "Justinian  in  Council,"  also  in 
the  great  hall  is  a  similar  piece  of  work  by 
the  Austrian,  Hans  Makart,  famed  for  his 
brilliancy,  brush  work  and  his  gorgeousness 
of  color,  although  with  all  his  admitted  fa- 
cility and  sensuous  feeling  for  tone  and  form 
he  has  faults  which  consist  of  a  lack  of  har- 
mony,  and  he  develops  too  often  a  color 
vulgarity,  or  at  least  a  garishness  not  altogether  infrequent  with 
the  Teuton  when  he  comes  to  decoration,  and  which  is  notice- 
able in  almost  all  the  canvases  of  the  men  of  his  race.   His  mas- 


EUROPEAN    PAINTERS  93 

ter,  the  German,  Carl  von  Piloty,  has  this  same  fault,  as  will  be 
seen  by  an  inspection  of  the  canvases  of  "The  Parable  of  the 
Wise  and  the  Foolish  Virgins"  (508),  in  gallery  10,  and  "Thus- 
nelda  at  the  Triumphal  Entry  of  Germanicus  Into  Rome"  (603). 
Both  works  are  crowded  with  figures,  are  more  or  less  crude  in 
the  color  schemes  and  over-elaborated.  This  is  not  to  say  that 
they  are  not  important  works  of  art,  for  they  have  many  quali- 
ties in  the  way  of  composition,  drawing  and  research  of  a  his- 
torical nature,  but  they  are  theatrical  and  they  leave  the  spec- 
tator cold  and  unimpressed;  the  color  is  unrestful  and  aggres- 
sive, and  the  pictures  are  entirely  lacking  in  the  more  subtle 
qualities  of  great  and  impressive  art. 

Of  the  same  genre  of  workmen,  with  all  of  their  virtues  and 
few  of  their  faults,  is  Michael  Munkacsy,  who  of  recent  years 
gave  himself  over  to  important  religious  compositions  and  who 
now  is  utterly  incapacitated  through  a  wretched  affliction  to  do 
any  more.  Here  he  has  a  striking  compositoin,  called  "The 
Pawnbroker's  Shop"  (490),  with  dramatic  incidents  that  tell  the 
story  admirably.  Unfortunately,  the  man,  in  all  his  earlier  work 
at  least,  gave  himself  up  to  the  use  of  bitumen  in  painting,  and 
the  employment  of  this  color,  while  effective  at  first,  has  been 
detrimental  to  the  lasting  qualities,  the  pictures  having  gone 
down  several  degrees  in  tone,  cracking  at  the  same  time.  But 
the  painter  has  secured  great  ease  and  facility  in  the  brush  work, 
sweeping  in  the  forms  with  much  freedom  and  in  an  appetizing 
manner,  and  he  has  told  his  story  interestingly.  His  influence 
on  the  German  painters  several  years  ago  was  considerable,  and 
not  a  few  of  the  Americans  abroad  fell  under  the  allurements  of 


94 


EUROPEAN     PAINTERS 


TWO  SWEDISH  BISHOPS. 


C.    G. 


his  facile  brush  work  and  manner  of  technique.  To-day,  however, 
his  methods  are  rather  regarded  by  the  art  world  with  curiosity 
and  as  one  of  the  eccentric  art  manifestations  of  the  century.  Of 
a  similar  school  of  composition,  if  not  altogether  of  painting,  is  a 
large  picture  by  a  Swedish  artist,  C.  G.  Hellquist  (642),  repre- 
senting an  historical  incident  of  the  entry  of  two  Swedish 
bishops  into  Stockholm,  in  1526,  surrounded  by  an  insulting 
mob.  Again  there  is  a  highly  dramatic  scene  and  a  deft  arrange- 
ment of  the  various  personages,  with  dexterity  in  the  drawing 
and  painting.  The  many  details  of  the  people  and  the  manners 
of  the  times  are  well  observed  and  faithfully  carried  out,  and 


96  EUROPEAN    PAINTERS 

have  doubtless  cost  the  artist  much  study  and  careful  research. 

Yet  another  of  the  same  order  is  Carl  Becker's  "Emperor 
Maximillian  Receiving  the  Venetian  Embassy"  (371),  which  is 
truthfully  realistic  in  the  costumes,  the  manners  and  the  sur- 
roundings of  the  time.  It  is  more  pleasant  to  turn  to  work  that, 
while  lacking  none  of  the  technical  excellence  of  the  foregoing, 
has  yet  something  more  attractive  in  the  way  of  sentiment  or 
humanity,  and  which  appeals  more  by  reason  of  the  personality 
of  the  artist  and  the  charm  of  the  subject  than  by  the  purely 
technical  side.  Such  a  canvas  is  "The  Last  Token"  (448),  by 
Gabriel  Max,  which  has  for  its  motive  a  touching  incident  in  the 
story  of  the  Christian  martyrs.  Here  is  a  young  girl  who  has 
been  thrown  in  the  arena,  where  the  lions  may  devour  her.  Some 
sympathizer  has  tossed  her  a  rose,  and  she  looks  up  to  the  sender 
with  a  pitiable  expression,  while  the  wild  beasts,  coming  out  from 
the  doors  of  their  cages,  regard  her  with  savage  curiosity.  The 
scene  is  pathetic  and  most  dramatically  suggestive,  and  is  the 
creation  of  a  genuine  artist.  The  purity  and  innocence  of  the 
maiden  in  her  delicate  beauty  and  the  ferocity  of  the  beasts  of 
prey  are  in  striking  contrast  and  most  effectively  rendered. 

The  German,  Adolf  Menzel,  an  artist  of  the  greatest  distinc- 
tion, is  represented  here  by  one  little  water  color,  which  has  come 
from  the  William  H.  Stewart  collection  and  is  thoroughly  char- 
acteristic, being  excellent  composition  and  astonishingly  dex- 
terous in  execution.  The  man  is  probably  the  foremost  illustrator 
of  the  day  and  is  a  master  of  technique,  drawing  with  directness, 
painting  authoritatively,  and  leaving  little  to  be  desired  upon 
the  completion  of  his  pictures.  One  may  see  in  this  water  color 


THE  IvAST   TOKEN. 


GABRIEL  MAX. 


EUROPEAN    PAINTERS 


THUSNEIyDA. 


VON   PII.OTY. 


many  of  his  best  qualities,  for  though  he  has  finish  and  great  de- 
tail, there  is  never  any  suggestion  of  littleness.  The  subject  is 
some  men-at-arms  drinking  in  front  of  an  inn,  as  they  sit  on 
horseback,  from  a  "Stirrup  Cup"  (118),  and  the  painter  has  neg- 
lected nothing  that  adds  to  the  needs  of  the  work.  The  paint- 
ing of  the  faces  is  wonderful  and  the  men  have  the  character  and 
the  swashbuckler  air  of  the  times. 

Of  the  modern  school  of  English  painters  there  is  little  show- 
ing here.  In  point  of  fact,  as  a  general  rule,  the  pictures  of  the 
British  artists  seldom  find  their  way  over  here,  or  out  of  England, 
for  that  matter,  for  the  English  public,  to  their  credit  be  it  said, 
are  patriotic  and  manage  to  keep  native  work  within  their  bor- 


I,ACHRYMAB. 


SIR  FREDERICK 


ioo  EUROPEAN    PAINTERS 

ders.  Of  late  years,  however,  an  occasional  example  has  been 
bought  for  American  collections,  or  has  been  secured  by  the 
dealers,  and  the  one  man  here  is  Sir  Frederick  Leighton,  late 
President  of  the  Royal  Academy,  an  artist  of  distinction  in  his 
profession  both  as  a  scholarly  draughtsman  and  a  man  of  strong 
decorative  feeling,  though  his  color  will  be  found  disappointing 
to  those  who  are  only  familiar  with  his  work  through  the  black 
and  white  reproduction.  It  is,  however,  in  this  medium  that  he 
shows  to  the  greatest  advantage,  since  his  pigment  is  never  ap- 
petizing and  is  frequently  heavy  and  marred  by  a  certain  crude- 
ness  and  lack  of  harmony.  He  has  a  head  here  called  "Lucia" 
(469),  better  in  tone  than  usual,  and  a  figure  composition  called 
"Lachrymae'\(393),  in  which  his  faults  and  virtues  are  both  ap- 
parent. The  weeping  woman  who  stands  by  a  monument  is  clas- 
sically beautiful  in  line,  draperies  and  face,  and  the  arrangement 
of  the  accessories  is  all  well  carried  out.  There  is  the  deco- 
rative feeling  thoroughly  well  conveyed,  but,  truth  to  tell,  the 
color  is  heavy,  at  times  black  and  disagreeable.  But  it  is  a  highly 
interesting  canvas,  just  the  same,  and  demands  careful  attention. 
There  is  only  a  modest  showing  here  of  the  Spanish  school,  of 
whom,  of  course,  Fortuny  is  the  most  important  representative, 
and  the  three  examples  from  his  brush  will  give  a  good  idea  of 
his  talent.  A  large  portrait  of  "A  Spanish  Lady"  (564)  is  seri- 
ous and  able,  though  not  very  inspiring,  but  his  "Alberca  Court" 
(168)  demonstrates  the  man's  dexterity  in  the  matter  of  brush 
work,  displaying  a  feeling  for  brilliant  color  and  attractive  com- 
positon  arrangement.  It  is  incomplete,  having  been  begun  to- 
ward the  last  part  of  the  artist's  career,  but  enough  is  here  to 


A   SPANISH   I.ADY. 


FORTUNY. 


102  EUROPEAN    PAINTERS 

convey  an  idea  of  Fortuny's  brilliant  technique  and  his  masterly 
knowledge  of  the  possibilities  of  pigment.  A  water  color  by 
him  may  also  be  studied.  It  is  an  Oriental  scene  (466),  and  in 
water  colors  this  artist  had  few  if  any  equals.  Madrazo  and 
Zamacois  are  two  others  of  the  same  race  who  hold  prominent 
places  in  the  art  history  of  their  country;  the  first  is  living,  the 
last  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-nine,  but  not  before  he  had  done 
several  important  canvases  and  made  a  lasting  reputation.  By 
Madrazo  there  are  "Girls  at  a  Window"  (522),  and  by  Zamacois 
a  panel  called  "Sleeping  Hunter"  (514).  Martin  Rico  (447  and 
666)  is  another  of  the  clever  Spaniards,  whose  dainty  touch  and 
dexterous  handling  of  his  material  have  made  him  most  popular. 
The  demand  of  the  public  for  so  much  work,  however,  has  caused 
him  of  late  to  labor  too  fast  fo>r  the  good  of  his  art,  and  his  pro- 
duction has  been  greater  than  the  quality  of  the  pictures. 

Modern  Italian  art  is  also  modestly  shown  here.  It  may  gen- 
erally be  characterized  as  celver,  rather  than  great.  Both  Boldini 
and  Pasini  are  noteworthy  represenatives,  though  their  art  re- 
ceived most  of  its  impetus  in  Paris  rather  than  in  Italy.  The  first 
achieved  most  of  his  distinction  while  painting  either  in  his  studio 
in  France  or  working  out  of  doors  along  the  highways  contigu- 
ous to  Paris.  The  second  has  painted  mostly  in  the  Orient.  Both 
men  are  dexterous  and  their  work  if  full  of  infinite  detail  and 
finish;  indeed,  it  is  the  technical  excellence  that  has  raised  it  to  a 
high  place,  for  of  subject  or  of  sentiment  there  is  little  to  call  for 
comment.  Boldini's  "Highway  of  Combes-la- Ville"  (147)  is  a 
most  brilliant  performance  and  conveys  admirably  the  snap  and 
sparkle  of  light  on  an  early  summer  day  in  France.  Pasini's  two 


EUROPEAN    PAINTERS 


103 


I<OST. 


A.   F.   A.   SCHENCK. 


panels  (135  and  529)  have  mosques  for  the  central  interest,  and 
his  architecture  is  always  faultless,  while  his  horses  are  admirably 
suggested. 

A  few  remarks  abouUsome  of  the  modern  Dutchmen  must 
conclude  this  chapter  on  the  European  painters.  These  men  form 
a  school  almost  of  their  own,  for  they  display  racial  character- 
istics of  homely  simplicity,  honesty  of  purpose  and  a  certain 
pathos  in  the  choice  of  subject  befitting  a  people  of  modest 
ways,  austere  habits  and  straightforward  notions  of  living. 
Anton  Mauve  was  one  of  the  ablest  painters  of  this  group,  devot- 
ing himself  to  the  portrayal  of  sheep  and  cattle  in  Holland  land- 
scapes, and  these  he  invested  with  a  tenderness  and  a  poetry 
quite  unique.  He  both  drew  and  painted  in  an  able  way,  and  his 
compositions  almost  always  possess  something  attractive  in  the 


104  EUROPEAN    PAINTERS 

arrangement  and  the  sentiment  of  the  time  and  the  place. 
There  are  two  of  his  works  here,  "Spring"  (553),  and  "Autumn" 
(555).  The  brothers  Maris,  Mat  thy  s  and  Jacob,  the  first  a  figure 
painter  (367),  and  the  latter  a  landscape  man  (389),  are  here 
with  attractive  work,  and  there  is  Albert  Neuhuys,  whose 
"Dutch  Interior  with  Figure"  (390),  is  interesting  and  well 
executed.  David  Artz  is  still  another  able  Dutchman,  and  his 
work  will  show  much  resemblance  to  his  fellow  countrymen  just 
mentioned,  for  the  methods  are  almost  national  and  are  always 
recognizable.  His  picture  is  called  "The  First  Step"  (382),  and 
is  a  scene  from  the  peasant  life  in  Holland.  The  Belgian  marine 
painter,  P.  J.  Clays,  has  one  example  in  the  Museum,  a  picture 
of  the  celebration  of  the  freedom  of  the  port  of  Antwerp  (660), 
which  does  not  represent  him  so  well  as  some  of  his  more  quiet 
renditions  of  a  lazily  flowing  stream,  with  shipping  idling  on  its 
surface,  but  nevertheless,  there  is  much  of  interest  to  this  canvas 
and  the  work  is  highly  dexterous  and  well  composed. 


DELAWARE  VALLEY.  GEORGE  INNESS. 

EARLIER  AMERICAN   PAINTERS. 

HILE  the  showing  of  the  development  of 
American  art  is  not  as  complete  as  might  be 
wished  for  at  the  Metropolitan  Museum, 
there  is,  nevertheless,  material  whereby  the 
visitor  may  follow  the  changes  of  the  native 
painter  and  watch  his  progress  through 
the  various  stages  of  work,  under  differing 
influences  and  with  varying  tendencies. 
The  schools  of  Munich,  Rome  and  Paris 
have  had  their  effect  on  the  native  artists  who  have  studied  in 
those  cities;  but  the  first  of  our  painters,  away  back  in  Colonial 


106  EARUER    AMERICAN    PAINTERS 

times,  were  generally  influenced  by  their  ancestors  in  England, 
and,  as  was  natural,  found  in  portraiture  a  means  of  following 
their  profession  with  profit,  or,  at  least,  with  fair  remuneration. 
Indeed,  the  mass  of  American  painters  of  the  first  part  of  this 
century  were  perhaps,  taking  them  as  a  body,  superior  to  those, 
with  a  few  exceptions,  of  to-day.  They  had  a  comprehensive 
training,  they  worked  in  a  different  atmosphere  and  under  tradi- 
tions that  were  of  a  most  healthy  nature.  The  great  English- 
men, Reynolds,  Gainsborough,  Lawrence  and  Romney,  were  men 
to  follow,  to  study  enthusiastically,  and  there  was  somehow  less 
of  confusion  as  to  the  requirements  of  the  portrait  painter  then 
than  at  present,  when  so  many  schools  and  methods  contend  for 
the  right  of  superiority. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  one  of  the  earliest  of  American 
painters  was  once  a  President  of  the  Royal  Academy  of  London. 
This  distinction  fell  to  Benjamin  West,  who  was  born  in  Pennsyl- 
vania in  1738,  and  up  to  the  time  of  his  going  to  England  was 
practically  self-taught.  But  in  London  he  gained  the  favor  of 
royalty,  and  the  patronage  of  George  III  brought  him  commis- 
sions and  the  friendship  of  the  fashionable  world,  together  with 
that  of  the  painters,  who  subsequently  conferred  on  him  the 
honor  of  making  him  the  head  of  official  art  in  Great  Britain. 
This  American  was  very  ambitious  and  an  indefatigable  worker, 
but  in  sober  truth  his  talents  were  not  of  the  first,  nor  yet  of  the 
second  order,  for  his  drawing  was  faulty,  his  compositions 
theatric  and  his  execution  anything  but  distinguished.  He  left 
behind  him  many  canvases,  but  among  them  all  there  is  none 
that  deserves  more  than  passing  tribute,  for  nearly  all  were  con- 


EARLIER    AMERICAN    PAINTERS  107 

ventional,  commonplace,  tame  in  style  and  weak  in  imagination. 
Nor  was  there  color  or  individuality  to  add  in  the  slightest  de- 
gree. Personally,  however,  the  man  was  full  of  charm,  and  he  had 
many  pupils  among  the  earlier  men  who  went  as  a  matter  of 
course  to  London  to  put  the  finishing  touches  of  study  to  an  art 
career,  and  as  naturally  found  their  way  to  the  studio  of  Ben- 
jamin West  sooner  or  later.  One  may  gather  an  idea  of  the  man 
by  two  canvases  here,  one  of  which  is  called  "The  Triumph  of 
Love"  (244),  which  is  of  the  regular,  old-fashioned  order  of 
theatrical  composition,  forced,  uninspired  and  conventional.  A 
second  work,  "Hagar  and  Ishmael"  (257),  is  on  a  level  with  the 
first. 

Among  the  first  of  West's  pupils  as  to  date  was  Matthew  Pratt, 
who  has  left  a  souvenir  of  his  study  with  his  master  in  a  picture 
here,  called  'The  American  School"  (245),  which  represents 
West's  painting  room  in  London,  with  the  famous  American  in- 
structing his  pupils.  The  composition  is  somewhat  stiff  and  hard, 
both  in  the  painting  and  the  arrangement,  but  it  is  of  interest  in 
many  ways  and  should  be  carefully  observed.  The  next  American 
in  order  of  chronological  sequence  is  Charles  Wilson  Peale,  who, 
it  is  said,  painted  more  portraits  of  George  Washington  from  life 
than  any  other  painter,  and  this  great  patriot  and  warrior  is  the 
subject  of  the  one  example  of  Peale  here  (224).  It  cannot  be 
truthfully  said  that  it  is  of  the  first  order  in  an  artistic  way,  but  it 
is  interesting  historically  and  of  value  as  having  been  executed 
from  nature.  A  son  of  this  man  and  a  pupil  of  West  was  Rem- 
brandt Peale,  portrait  painter  also.  He  has  one  canvas  here 
(254).  It  is,  however,  more  pleasant  and  entertaining  to  turn  to 


io8  EARIvlBR    AMERICAN     PAINTERS 

one  of  the  best  of  all  the  early  native  painters — Gilbert  Stuart, 
who  has  ample  representation  here  in  half  a  dozen  efforts  (119, 
199,  221,  225  and  379),  including  a  replica  of  his  famous  Wash- 
ington head  and  bust  (238),  painted  for  Daniel  Carroll  in  1803, 
Stuart  was  also  a  pupil  of  West,  and  had  a  studio  in  London  for 
some  time.  His  work  is  characterized  by  excellent  drawing, 
good  construction  and  fine  color.  It  is  sturdy,  frank  and  brushed 
In  with  ease  and  freedom  in  a  painter-like  manner,  very  convinc- 
ing and  appealing.  He  gave  to  the  best  things  he  did  much  dis- 
tinction and  elegance  of  manner,  and  he  must  be  justly  considered 
one  of  the  best  of  the  American  painters,  time  only  strengthen- 
ing his  reputation. 

Another  pupil  of  West,  Colonel  John  Trumbull,  has  a  portrait 
here  of  Alexander  Hamilton  (222),  well  painted  with  considera- 
able  dignity,  in  a  frank,  straightforward  manner,  with  good  color 
and  drawing.  This  artist  was  the  first  President  of  the  Academy 
of  Fine  Arts  in  New  York,  and  painted  many  historical  composi- 
tions, four  of  which  were  for  the  rotunda  of  the  Capitol  at  Wrash- 
ington.  The  present  work  is  a  good  example.  Thomas  Sully  is 
an  interesting  personality  among  the  early  men,  and  though  he 
was  born  in  England  his  life  was  spent  mostly  in  this  country.  A 
pupil  of  West,  he  had  the  distinction  later  of  painting  Her  Maj- 
esty Queen  Victoria  in  her  coronation  robes,  and  his  daughter, 
who  died  only  a  short  time  ago  in  Philadelphia,  posed  in  the  royal 
dress  in  order  to  save  the  Queen  the  time  and  the  fatigue.  The 
artist  is  represented  here  with  a  portrait  of  himself  (259),  and  one 
of  a  Mr.  Gynn  (223),  both  of  which  are  highly  interesting  and 
show  his  capacity.  Matthew  Harris  Jouett,  a  Kentuckian,  prac- 


EARLIER    AMERICAN    PAINTERS  109 

tically  self-taught  save  for  six  months'  instruction  in  the  studio 
of  Gilbert  Stuart,  has  a  capital  portrait  of  a  young  man  (227), 
painted  with  engaging  facility  and  good  color.  The  canvas  re- 
calls in  a  way  the  work  of  the  late  George  Fuller,  without  his  in- 
decision, though  suggestive,  in  the  same  manner. 

Born  in  1796,  the  career  of  Asher  B.  Durand  is  full  of  interest 
and  instruction,  both  to  the  painter  and  the  layman,  for  the  man 
was  a  steadfast  worker  in  many  branches  of  his  profession.  He 
began  life  as  an  engraver  under  his  father,  then  he  studied  paint- 
ing and  worked  both  at  the  figure  and  landscape.  He  was  Presi- 
dent of  the  National  Academy  of  Design  for  sixteen  years.  A 
portrait  of  William  Cullen  Bryant  (138)  and  a  large  upright  land- 
scape, "In  the  Woods"  (258),  will  give  an  idea  of  his  versatility. 
He  might  be  almost  said  to  be  the  founder  of  what  is  known  as 
the  Hudson  River  School  of  American  painters,  and  though  in 
these  days  the  tendency  of  art  is  in  quite  another  direction,  about 
his  best  work  there  is  a  sincerity  and  a  search  for  detail  that 
showed  the  man  to  be  honest  according  to  the  convictions  and 
the  understanding  of  his  environment.  The  first  of  the  group  to 
be  born  within  the  present  century,  Henry  Inman  was  one  of  the 
best  of  1  he  early  men,  and  he  is  seen  at  his  highest  point  of  ex- 
cellence with  a  portrait  of  President  Martin  Van  Buren  (237), 
which  is  a  highly  creditable  performance  and  one  that  must  take 
high  rank.  The  face  is  painted  with  a  suavity  that  is  alluring  and 
in  fine  color,  with  a  nice  sense  of  character.  It  is  finished  with  no 
loss  of  breadth,  and  is  as  fresh  to-day  as  when  it  was  first  com- 
pleted. He  has  two  other  portraits  (131  and  256),  but  this  is 
much  the  best.  Contemporaneous  with  Inman  was  Thomas 


no  EARLIER    AMERICAN    PAINTERS 

Cole,  who  is  known  by  the  engraving  of  his  celebrated  "Voyage 
of  Life,"  famous  throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  this  coun- 
try. The  example  here  is  called  "In  the  Catskills"  (239),  and  is 
fairly  representative  of  a  somewhat  small  way  of  looking  at 
nature,  according  to  the  manner  of  his  day  in  America. 

A  Scotchman,  George  Linen,  but  by  adoption  an  American 
and  identified  with  art  in  New  York  for  many  years,  has  a  por- 
trait of  Colonel  Popham  (216),  agreeably  painted  and  fresh  in 
color,  and  an  early  genre  painter,  William  S.  Mount,  is  seen  with 
a  homely  subject,  called  "Raffling  for  a  Goose"  (248),  which  is  a 
good  study  of  character,  carefully  drawn  and  composed.  On  the 
same  order  is  a  group  of  country  people  reading  "War  News 
from  Mexico"  (249),  by  R.  C.  Woodville,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
thirty-one,  in  1856,  and  of  whom  little  is  known;  but  this  ex- 
ample shows  a  clever  workman  who  has  studied  his  subject  care- 
fully and  drawn  his  figures  with  much  precision.  The  painting 
is  dexterous  and  the  scene  is  faithfully  reproduced  in  a  clever 
way.  Charles  Loring  Elliott  was  justly  esteemed  one  of  the 
ablest  men  of  his  time,  in  the  way  of  portrait  painting.  He  was 
born  in  1812  and  died  in  1868,  and  in  his  day  he  enjoyed  great 
vogue,  being  the  fashionable  portrait  painter  of  the  time.  Draw- 
ing well  and  securing  a  good  likeness,  always  with  some  conces- 
sions to  the  prevailing  manner  of  the  time  that  insisted  on  more 
or  less  regularity  of  feature  regardless  of  the  endowments  of 
nature,  he  nevertheless  secured  in  his  work  virility  and  an  artistic 
feeling,  giving  good  color  and  fine  comprehension  of  form.  He 
has  here  five  canvases  of  people  socially  prominent,  including  Dr. 
Carnochan  (214)  and  M.  B.  Brady,  the  well  known  New  York 


WASHINGTON. 


GILBERT  STUART. 


H2  EARLIER    AMERICAN    PAINTERS 

photographer  (260),  as  well  as  one  of  the  artist  himself  (540). 

Only  lately  President  of  the  National  Academy  of  Design,  and 
still  painting,  though  less  active  in  art  matters  than  formerly, 
Daniel  Huntington  has  been  a  prominent  figure  in  this  city  for 
many  years,  and  he  is  represented  in  this  collection  with  five  can- 
vases, portraits  and  figure  compositons.  One  is  called  "Mercy's 
Dream"  (241),  and  another  is  of  William  C.  Prime  (630),  first 
Vice  President  of  the  Museum.  Born  the  same  year  with  Mr. 
Huntington,  Emannel  Leutze  came  to  America  as  a  child  and 
became  identified  with  American  art  as  an  historical  painter. 
There  is  a  well-known  work  by  him  here,  called  "Washington 
Crossing  the  Delaware"  (232),  which  will  interest  the  visitor, 
though  it  is  far  removed  from  great  art.  The  composition  is 
theatrical,  forced  and  completely  unconvincing,  but  there  is 
much  deftness  in  the  arrangement,  intelligence  in  the  grouping 
of  the  figures  and  in  the  general  management  of  the  canvas,  and 
the  theme  is  one  of  deep  interest  to  Americans;  but  the  draw- 
ing is  weak,  the  color  is  unsympathetic,  the  technique  is  hard, 
and  judged  by  all  the  canons  of  good  art,  it  is  wofully  lacking. 
However,  it  is  one  of  the  best  of  the  man's  works,  and  in  its  time 
it  created  something  of  a  sensation.  It  has  been  engraved  and 
marks  a  certain  epoch  in  the  art  of  this  country. 

There  is  an  indifferent  example  by  Henry  Peters  Gray  (218), 
and  a  portrait  by  George  A.  Baker,  popular  in  his  day — a  likeness 
of  a  distinguished  American  painter,  the  late  John  F.  Kensett 
(538),  who,  by  the  way,  has  nearly  a  score  of  pictures  here.  They 
are  numbered  respectively  136,  547,  588,  606,  618,  619,  620,  622, 
623,  624,  625,  626,  628,  629,  641,  646,  650,  662  and  663.  Ken- 


EARLIER    AMERICAN    PAINTERS  113 

sett's  painting  at  times  is  tight  and  seems  hard,  but  there  were 
moments  when  he  interpreted  nature  in  a  highly  sympathetic 
manner,  with  considerable  charm,  and  he  enjoyed  great  vogue  in 
his  day.  The  late  George  Fuller  was  one  of  the  most  interesting 
personalities  in  the  American  art  world,  and  left  on  all  his  work 
a  strong  individuality  and  the  imprint  of  a  poetic  temperament, 
combined  with  a  distinctive  technique.  There  was  a  vague  sug- 
gestiveness,  almost  impossible  to  define  in  cold  type,  that  gave 
great  charm,  and  this  was  perhaps  better  suited  to  his  composi- 
tion pictures  than  to  portraits.  One  of  his  well-known  paintings 
is  here,  entitled  "And  She  Was  a  Witch"  (574).  It  represents 
the  early  days  of  the  New  Englanders,  when  superstition  pre- 
vailed; a  young  girl  has  fallen  under  the  ban  of  her  townspeople, 
who  regard  her  with  apprehension  as  she  stands  in  the  shadow 
of  her  doorway.  The  sentiment  is  well  expressed  and  the  pecul- 
iar rendering  of  the  artist  is  eminently  suited  to  this  motive.  His 
"Nydia"  (601)  is  scarcely  less  successful.  This  represents  Bul- 
wer's  blind  girl,  in  the  tale  of  the  "Last  Days  of  Pompeii,"  who  is 
seen  wandering  hesitatingly  toward  the  spectator.  The  en- 
velopment is  exquisite  in  the  tender  tones  of  subdued  color,  and 
the  effect  is  in  keeping  with  one's  conception  of  the  heroine. 

A  small  cabinet  portrait  of  Henry  Inman  (215)  is  by  Jacob 
H.  Lazarus,  and  is  delicately  painted,  while  by  George  P.  A. 
Healy  four  portraits  give  an  idea  of  the  man,  though  not  all  are 
of  high  order.  Healy  lived  for  years  in  Paris,  and  in  his  time 
painted  many  of  the  rulers  of  Europe.  He  was  uneven,  though 
he  always  secured  a  good  likeness,  and  he  was  commercially  very 
successful.  His  portrait  of  a  lady  (233)  is  his  most  indifferent 


H4  EARUER    AMERICAN    PAINTERS 

contribution  here,  and  that  of  himself  (554)  perhaps  his  best. 
Other  earlier  Americans  include  John  W.  Casilear  (253  and  262), 
Jasper  F.  Cropsey  (636),  Thomas  Doughty  (228  and  246),  S.  R. 
Gifford  (142),  the  brothers  Hart,  William  (163)  and  James  (165); 
David  Johnson  (183)  and  Thomas  W.  Wood  (655).  A  decidedly 
interesting  personality,  who  died  before  reaching  forty,  was  Rob- 
ert Wylie,  represented  here  by  a  fine  composition,^  "The  Death 
of  a  Vendean  Chief"  (592).  The  scene  is  laid  in  Brittany,  and  the 
interior  of  the  little  cabin  is  well  portrayed,  while  the  figures  sur- 
rounding the  dying  leader  are  full  of  careful  character  study.  Mr. 
Wylie  lived  and  painted  many  years  in  the  little  town  of  Pont 
Aven,  Finisterre,  where  an  artistic  colony  has  since  been  estab- 
lished and  where  he  died,  and  this  picture  is  one  of  his  most  se- 
rious and  successful  efforts. 

Last  of  the  earlier  men  must  be  mentioned  Alexander  H.  Wy- 
ant  and  George  Inness,  whose  names  are  frequently  coupled  to- 
gether and  who  represent  probably  the  highest  achievement  of 
American  art  in  a  landscape  way.  George  Inness  was  the  stronger 
personality  of  the  two,  and  at  his  best  he  yields  to  no  man  in  his 
profession  as  an  interpreter  of  nature  out  of  doors.  Nervous,  ac- 
tive, synthetic,  and  seeking  always  the  truth,  his  canvases 
breathe  the  sentiment  of  the  fields,  the  sky  and  the  growth  of 
trees  and  green  stuff.  Impatient  of  technique,  he  made  through 
his  career  all  manners  of  departures  to  gain  his  ends.  He  scraped, 
he  glazed,  he  painted  directly  and  repainted  and  experimented  in 
many  directions,  but  there  were  ever  to  his  slightest  efforts  vi- 
rility, directness  and  a  bigness  of  conception  that  stamped  him  as 
a  great  artist.  He  has  a  large  canvas  here  called  "Peace  and 


EARLIER    AMERICAN    PAINTERS  115 

Plenty"  (317),  which  shows  his  command  of  his  medium,  and 
smaller  ones,  such  as  "Evening"  (567),  "Sunset  on  the  Passaic" 
(134),  and  "Autumn  Oaks"  (586),  which  give  his  charm  of  sen- 
timent and  his  knowledge  of  landscape  form  and  construction. 
There  is  also  his  remarkable  canvas  "Delaware  Valley," 
formerly  in  the  Clarke  collection,  considered  by  many  to  be  the 
man's  masterpiece,  together  with  a  large  canvas,  painted  in 
Italy,  called  "Barbarini  Villa."  Neither  of  these  last  two  is  num- 
bered. In  contradistinction  to  the  nervousness  and  inquietude 
apparent  at  times  in  the  labors  of  Mr.  Inness  is  the  tender  senti- 
ment and  poetic  quality  displayed  by  Mr.  Wyant  in  the  four  ex- 
amples here,  all  depicting  the  more  reposeful  side  of  nature,  in- 
terpreted through  a  gentle  personality  by  well  equipped  mind 
and  hands.  The  works  here  (364,  365,  366  and  605)  are  stretches 
of  evening  landscapes,  touched  by  the  warm  glow  of  the  depart- 
ing sun,  or  illuminated  by  opalescent  tints  of  twilight,  colorful, 
refined  and  permeated  with  the  spirit  of  the  time  and  the  place, 
the  work  of  a  genuine  artist. 


A  QUARTETTE. 


WIWAM   T.   DANNAT. 


MODERN  AMERICAN  PAINTERS. 

T  is  to  be  regretted  that  there  is  not  a  bet- 
ter showing  of  the  works  of  the  modern 
schools  of  American  painters  at  the  Met- 
ropolitan Museum  of  Art,  and  that  the 
visitor  is  unable  to  inspect  what  there  is 
of  importance  in  sequence.  The  institu- 
tion possesses  no  particular  fund  for  the 
purchase  of  such  productions,  and  de- 
pends largely  on  voluntary  contributions 


MODERN    AMERICAN    PAINTERS  117 

to  augment  the  collection,  but  it  is  hoped  that  time  will  rectify 
this,  and  with  the  new  additions  now  building  there  will  be  an 
opportunity  for  the  assemblage  in  separate  galleries  of  the  differ- 
ent groups  not  only  of  our  own,  but  where  possible,  of  foreign 
work.  At  present  American  pictures  are  scattered  about  in  a 
haphazard  sort  of  way,  and  while  there  are  a  few  examples  of 
some  of  the  best  men,  the  general  showing  is  hardly  compre- 
hensive. 

Indeed  there  is  not  what  might  be  termed  a  distinctly  Ameri- 
can School  after  all,  for  American  art  is  largely  the  result 
of  influences  of  the  studios  where  the  men  have  obtained  their 
preliminary  instruction  when  they  have  studied  abroad,  or  when 
such  training  has  been  secured  at  home,  then  the  predilections 
of  the  masters  who  have  almost  invariably  studied  abroad  pre- 
vail. Of  course,  France  is  largely  responsible  for  the  trend  in 
art  thoughts  of  the  majority  of  our  painters,  and  by  France  is 
naturally  meant  Paris.  For  twenty-five  years  now  that  city 
has  been  the  favorite  abiding  place  of  the  student,  and  in  some 
cases,  the  full-fledged  artist.  French  ways  and  French  thought 
have  predominated,  and  the  academic  training  of  its  schools  has, 
it  must  be  confessed,  been  of  the  best,  for  the  course  of  instruc- 
tion there  is  thorough,  the  facilities  are  unusual  and  the  public- 
spirited  course  of  the  Government  has  made  it  possible  for  the 
student  to  take  advantage  of  the  chances  offered  at  only  a 
nominal  cost.  Life  in  the  city  is  most  reasonable  in  the  matter 
of  expense,  the  galleries  are  of  the  best,  and  the  town  itself  is  a 
delight  to  the  eye  and  a  joy  to  the  aesthetic  senses. 

Thus  it  is  that  our  men  have  flocked  there  in  large  numbers, 


n8  MODERN    AMERICAN    PAINTERS 

and  as  naturally  they  have  come  away  bringing  the  traditions, 
the  mode  of  thought  and  the  technique  with  them.  Many  of 
them  have  been  content  to>  follow  blindly  these  Frenchmen  in 
their  ways  of  looking  at  nature  and  the  manner  of  expressing 
themselves.  They  have  painted  the  French  peasant  in  many 
poses,  at  many  occupations,  and  under  different  circumstances, 
or  they  have  rendered  American  landscapes  through  the  French 
temperament.  In  at  least  one  case  a  painter  of  portraits  has 
out-Heroded  Herod  in  imbibing  the  best  his  master  had  to  offer 
and  then  surpassing  him  in  his  technique,  adding  the  nervous 
American  temperament,  and  gaining  an  ensemble  that  has  given 
distinction  and  individuality.  Some  of  the  Americans  have  com- 
bined two  or  three  schools  and  produced  results  that  at  first 
glance  seem  original  and  personal,  but  which  on  closer  analysis 
betray  the  source  of  inspiration.  Munich,  too,  has  contributed 
not  a  little  to  forming  the  style  of  some  of  our  men,  while  the 
Dutchmen,  and  possibly  the  Austrians,  have  had  a  certain  influ- 
ence. But  it  is  after  all  the  French  who  have  dominated,  and 
their  modern  figure  painters  have  set  us  the  pace,  while  the  "men 
of  thirty,"  as  the  group  of  Barbizon  painters  are  referred  to,  are 
responsible  for  most  of  the  landscape  inspiration  apparent  in  the 
products  of  the  native  worker,  in  our  galleries  and  exhibitions. 

A  few  of  our  men  have,  however,  retained  an  unmistakable 
individuality,  and  unfortunately  some  of  the  best  of  these  are 
unrepresented  here.  Whistler,  an  American  of  decided  original- 
ity, is  conspicuous  by  his  absence,  but  happily  we  have  a  really 
fine  example  of  the  work  of  one  of  the  most  brilliant  of  the 
younger  men,  John  S.  Sargent,  whose  portrait  of  Henry  G.  Mar- 


A  COZY  CORNER. 


FRANCIS  D. 


120  MODERN    AMERICAN    PAINTERS 

quand,  the  President  of  the  Museum,  is  a  performance  of  a  very 
high  order.  It  is  numbered  638,  and  represents  the  sitter  in  an 
easy,  graceful  pose.  There  is  an  air  of  much  distinction  to  all 
that  Mr.  Sargent  does,  and  this  work  is  more  than  usually  suc- 
cessful. The  color  is  swept  in  with  wonderful  facility;  the  ar- 
rangement of  tone  is  refined  and  reposeful,  while  the  painting 
of  the  flesh  is  broad  and  certain,  showing  knowledge  and  equip- 
ment of  a  man  who  is  thoroughly  trained  from  the  foundation 
upward.  It  is  a  matter  of  regret  that  this  man  is  not  further  rep- 
resented. 

One  of  the  older  men,  Eastman  Johnston,  has  kept  his  art 
young,  and  maintained  the  pace  with  the  latest  arrivals  in  the 
profession,  for  he  has  ever  been  a  severe  student,  and  has  always 
looked  at  nature  in  a  big  way,  expressing  himself  with  an  engag- 
ing simplicity  and  an  artistic  directness  that  has  made  his  work 
respected  and  admired.  All  of  his  pictures  have  a  certain  dis- 
tinction, whether  portraits  or  figure  pieces,  and  his  group  here, 
called  "Two  Men"  (123),  is  a  sterling  good  example  of  his  best 
manner.  When  it  was  first  shown  some  years  ago  at  the  Acad- 
emy of  Design  it  was  entitled  'The  Funding  Bill,"  as  the  sitters 
were  men  prominent  in  banking  circles,  and  that  financial  meas- 
ure was  then  a  popular  topic  with  the  public.  The  painting  is 
strong,  the  color  is  capital,  and  the  drawing  and  modelling  are 
fully  satisfactory.  Mr.  Johnston  has  also  a  small  portrait  of  the 
late  Sanford  R.  Gifford  (585),  the  painter,  which  is  sympathetic- 
ally rendered  and  very  like  the  man. 

While  the  portrait  of  Walt  Whitman  (607),  the  poet,  by  John 
W.  Alexander,  is  interesting  and  well  rendered,  it  does  not,  per- 


ON  THE  OlyD  SOD. 


WII^IJAM   MAG  RATH. 


122  MODERN    AMERICAN    PAINTERS 

haps,  represent  the  latest  achievements  of  ihis  able  painter,  who 
of  late  years  has  lived  much  abroad  and  has  advanced  greatly  in 
his  art.  The  present  work,  while,  clever  and  personal,  lacks  the  au- 
thority of  recent  efforts,  which  are  more  certain  in  the  technique 
and  show  greater  individualism  in  conception.  Mr.  Alexander's 
leaning  to  the  more  advanced  schools  has  only  resulted  in  devel- 
oping a  greater  personal  color  scheme,  enabling  the  artist  to  ex- 
press himself  in  a  manner  more  engaging  and  more  distinctive. 
An  American  who  has  achieved  much  renown  in  Paris,  but  who 
of  recent  years  has  been  seen  little  at  home  exhibitions,  is  Will- 
iam T.  Dannat,  here  with  one  oi  the  best  works  that  he  has  pos- 
sibly ever  signed,  though  there  are  those  who  prefer  later  and 
more  impressionistic  canvases.  The  present  picture  is  one  that 
is  popular  with  visitors,  and  is  called  "A  Quartette"  (661);  it 
represents  a  group  of  Spanish  musicians  seated,  probably  in  a 
corner  of  some  cafe,  in  front  of  a  window,  through  the  blinds  of 
which  struggle  a  few  rays  of  sunshine.  It  is  in  the  nature  of  a 
tour  de  force,  is  realistic  and  effective.  The  types  are  well  ren- 
dered, the  poses  are  natural,  and  the  whole  scene  is  as  if  one 
looked  through  a  window  and  saw  the  actual  occurrence. 

A  notable  picture,  modest  as  to  size,  but  which  has  attracted 
much  attention  and  gained  instant  fame  for  the  artist  when  it  was 
was  exhibited,  is  "The  Chess  Players"  (581),  by  Thomas  Eakins, 
who  is  likewise  a  portrait  painter  of  repute  and  a  successful 
teacher  in  the  Philadelphia  schools.  The  title  is  explanatory,  and 
the  men  at  the  table  are  drawn  and  painted  with  dexterity,  and 
show  much  artistic  knowledge.  Further,  the  personages  in  the 
canvas  are  well  arranged  and  the  light  is  agreeably  disposed 


LAST  MOMENTS   OF  JOHN   BROWN. 


THOMAS  HOVENDEN. 


124  MODERN    AMERICAN    PAINTERS 

while  technically  the  work  compares  with  the  best  modern  genre 
painting  of  this  order.  Although  a  Munich  man  in  his  training, 
the  latter  work  of  William  M.  Chase  shows  rather  French  tenden- 
cies both  in  color  and  in  general  conception.  Mr.  Chase  has 
been  identified  with  art  in  New  York  for  many  years,  as  a  highly 
successful  teacher,  but  he  has  found  time  to  do  much  painting,  in 
his  activity  working  at  the  figure,  landscape  and  still  life.  He 
possesses  great  facility  and  must  be  considered  as  a  leader  among 
the  younger  men.  He  is  represented  here  by  a  portrait  of  a 
"Lady  in  Black"  (121).  A  charming,  naive  piece  of  work  is  a 
head,  "Portrait  of  the  Artist's  Wife"  (219),  by  the  late  Dennis 
M.  Bunker,  whose  death  at  an  early  age  was  a  loss  to  American 
art.  There  is  much  sincerity  about  this  performance;  the  work 
shows  fine  qualities  of  drawing,  and  altogether  there  is  an  air  of 
distinction  that  raises  it  above  the  ordinary. 

Alden  Weir,  who  comes  of  a  distinguished  family  of  artists,  is 
represented  here  with  a  large  canvas  called  "Idle  Hours" 
(550),  with  two  figures  broadly  painted  and  interesting  in  the 
arrangement.  The  work  differs  from  recent  departures  by  this 
artist,  who  since  the  painting  of  this  canvas  has  made  artistic 
progress  that  renders  this  picture  scarcely  representative.  By 
Carl  Marr,  a  picture  of  two  peasant  women  called  "Gossip"  (536), 
attracts  popular  attention.  It  is  ably  painted  and  faithful  in  all 
the  details,  with  a  realism  that  is  entertaining  and  a  novelty  in 
the  surroundings  and  costume  that  is  interesting  to  the  average 
visitor,  and  there  is  another  composition  by  this  same  man,  en- 
titled "The  Mystery  of  Life"  (182),  which  is  more  or  less  in  the 
nature  of  an  allegory,  and  none  the  less  well  painted.  George  H. 


MODERN    AMERICAN    PAINTERS  125 

Boughton  is  included  among  the  Americans,  though  he  was 
born  in  England  and  has  lived  there  most  of  his  life.  But  he  did 
work  in  New  York  for  many  years  and  he  is  an  associate  of  the 
National  Academy  of  Design.  He  has  a  style  peculiarly  his  own, 
that  is  easily  recognizable  anywhere.  He  has  painted  many  pic- 
tures of  the  Puritans;  indeed,  he  is  quite  identified  with  such 
subjects,  and  in  them  he  has  been  highly  successful.  One  of  them 
he  has  here,  called  "A  Puritan  Girl"  (474),  and  it  differs  little  from 
others  of  the  same  subject  he  has  painted.  It  is  dainty,  gentle, 
cleverly  suggestive,  quite  unreal  and  entertaining,  and  it  will  find 
many  admirers.  Another  picture  by  the  same  man  is  a  landscape 
called  "A  Golden  Afternoon"  (137). 

An  Irishman  by  birth,  but  thoroughly  identified  with  Ameri- 
can art,  the  late  Thomas  Hovenden  was  an  able  painter  and  a 
sincere  workman,  as  two  compositions  here  will  show.  One  of 
these  is  of  historical  value  as  representing  a  most  important  epi- 
sode in  the  story  of  the  cause  of  slavery.  This  is  "Last  Moments 
of  John  Brown"  (235),  and  recounts  the  unhappy  ending  of  the 
life  of  the  distinguished  champion  of  liberty.  The  scene  is  the 
moment  when  John  Brown  is  being  led  to  execution,  under  the 
escort  of  soldiers.  He  is  stooping  to  embrace  a  negro  child,  whose 
mother  tearfully  holds  it  up  to  the  doomed  man.  The  composi- 
tion is  impressive  and  the  crowd,  the  military  and  the  unhappy 
man  himself,  are  all  portrayed  with  great  realism  and  painted  in 
an  able  way.  Mr.  Hovenden's  other  picture  is  called  rather  con- 
fusedly "Jerusalem  the  Golden"  (576),  and  it  is  difficult  to  quite 
comprehend  the  motive.  A  young  woman  is  seated  in  the  centre 
of  the  composition  and  by  her  side  is  a  young  man.  At  a  piano 


126  MODERN    AMERICAN    PAINTERS 

in  a  corner  of  the  room  some  one  is  playing,  while  another  per- 
son is  singing,  possibly  a  song  by  the  title  given  the  painting. 
While  the  color  is  excellent  and  well  rendered,  the  sentiment  is 
somewhat  forced  and  unreal.  But  there  are  fine  qualities  about 
the  work,  and  it  cannot  be  passed  by  carelessly. 

From  the  same  country,  William  Magrath  has  also  been  identi- 
fied with  New  York  life  for  many  years,  being  a  member  of  the 
principal  art  societies  of  this  city.  He  has  a  characteristic  canvas 
here  called  "On  The  Old  Sod"  (632),  wherein  an  old  Irish  farmer 
stands  in  contemplation  of  a  stretch  of  country.  The  type  is  well 
studied  and  the  execution  is  excellent.  By  Walter  Gay,  one  of 
our  painters  who  has  resided  abroad  continuously  for  many 
years,  there  is  a  picture  of  some  French  peasant  women,  called 
"Les  Fileuses"  (659),  who  are  sewing.  There  is  little  to  the  com- 
position save  technical  dexterity,  and  it  is  the  sort  of  canvas  of 
which  one  sees  many  in  the  Paris  salon,  but  it  will  be  found  to  be 
of  interest,  and  though  it  does  not  represent  the  more  recent  ad- 
vance of  Mr.  Gay  in  his  art,  it  has  elements  of  popularity.  Francis 
D.  Millet,  writer,  war  correspondent,  illustrator  and  decorator,  a 
many-sided  man,  is  here  with  one  picture,  clever  in  its  manipula- 
tion and  interesting  in  subject.  It  is  one  of  the  admired  things  in 
the  Museum,  and  it  is  dexterous,  rather  than  otherwise.  It  is 
called  "A  Cozy  Corner"  (150),  and  represents  a  young  girl  in  a 
sort  of  Dolly  Varden  costume  ensconced  in  a  window  seat  of  an 
old  English  interior.  A  subject  essentially  native  is  "The  Bridal 
Procession"  (193),  by  Charles  Y.  Turner,  which  is  an  illustration 
from  Longfellow's  poem  of  'The  Courtship  of  Miles  Standish," 
and  the  picture  represents  Priscilla,  on  John  Alden's  white  bull, 


YOUNG   HOI.STEIN   BUI,!,. 


CARI,ETON   WIGGINS. 


128  MODERN    AMERICAN    PAINTERS 

accompanied  by  the  wedding  guests,  who  march  across  the  fields. 
The  theme  is  interesting  and  the  artist  has  entered  into  the  spirit 
of  the  scene  engagingly.  By  Charles  F.  Ulrich  there  is  an  ex- 
ceedingly clever  small  panel  of  "Glass  Blowers  of  Murano"  (577), 
painted  most  dexterously  and  drawn  well.  The  picture  attracted 
much  attention  when  it  was  first  shown,  and  secured  a  prize  at 
the  exhibition.  A  cattle  picture  by  Carlton  Wiggins  (557),  one 
of  the  best  of  the  American  animal  painters,  is  strong,  vigorous 
and  drawn  with  fine  appreciation  of  anatomy  and  construction, 
while  the  color  is  just  and  well  managed  in  all  its  relations.  Will 
H.  Low  has  one  panel  here  called  "Aurora"  (175),  and  this  work 
about  completes  the  list  of  figure  compositions  by  which  Ameri- 
cans are  represented  in  the  Museum. 

The  remaining  examples  are  of  a  landscape  order,  and  of  these 
half  a  dozen  claim  attention.  Charles  H.  Davis,  an  artist  with  a 
nice  appreciation  of  the  refinement  of  twilight  and  sunset  effects, 
has  two  works,  both  of  which  are  called  "Evening"  (177,  539), 
and  in  each  case  may  be  seen  the  qualities  he  possesses  to  a  high 
degree,  of  sweetness,  truth  and  sentiment.  H.  Bolton  Jones,  ad- 
mired for  truthful  delineation  of  springtime  and  autumnal  effects, 
has  two  such  subjects  (132, 600),  interesting  in  line  and  well  com- 
posed, with  agreeable  color.  There  is  a  fine  wood  interior  by  R. 
M.  Shurtleff  (535),  and  Edward  Gay,  in  a  large  landscape  of  a 
stretch  of  Westchester  County  (664),  displays  some  excellent 
painting,  and  has  evolved  an  agreeable  composition.  By  Will- 
iam A.  Coffin  there  is  an  effect  of  "The  Rain"  (160),  wet  and 
dreary  enough  and  which  realizes  the  scene  with  faithfulness. 
Swain  Gifford  contributes  a  scene  "Near  the  Coast"  (543),  forci- 


MODERN    AMERICAN    PAINTERS  129 

ble  and  good  in  color,  and  then  there  is  a  soft,  toneful  effect  of 
"Venice,  Moonrise"  (546),  by  Samuel  Coleman. 


FAI<HAM     SEYMOUR   HADEN. 

DRAWINGS  AND  ETCHINGS. 

N  the  main  hall,  known  as  Gallery  4,  is 
a  collection  of  drawings  by  old  masters, 
composed  of  two  portions,  the  first  hav- 
ing been  collected  by  Count  Maggiore,  of 
Bologna,  in  the  latter  part  of  the  last  cen- 
tury. To  this  have  been  added  the  collec- 
tions of  some  Italian  gentlemen,  Signor 
Marietta,  Professor  Angelini  and  Dr. 
Guastalla,  and  the  whole  finally  came  into 
the  possession  of  James  Jackson  Jarvis,  American  Vice  Consul  at 
Florence.  He  in  his  turn  made  additions,  and  Mr.  Cornelius 
Vanderbilt  bought  the  entire  collection,  which  he  presented  to 
the  Museum.  The  second  portion,  numbered  from  671  to  851, 
was  collected  and  presented  by  Cephas  G.  Thompson.  The 
attributions  are  by  the  former  owners,  and  while  some  may  be  a 


DRAWINGS    AND    ETCHINGS  131 

matter  of  speculation,  there  is  plenty  of  genuine  material;  where 
there  is  any  doubt,  the  work  is,  at  least,  unquestionably  of  the 
school,  and  gives  a  fair  idea  of  the  manner  of  the  men.  These 
drawings  are  in  glass  cases,  carefully  numbered,  so  that  the 
visitor  will  find  much  of  interest  in  a  careful  inspection  of  the 
handiwork  of  men  of  a  time  far  removed  from  the  present,  when 
different  notions  and  ideals  prevailed. 

As  is  inevitable  in  material  so  old  and  which  has  passed 
through  so  many  hands,  some  of  the  work  is  stained  and  faded, 
or  creased  and  worn,  and  generally  bordering  on  a  state  of  decay. 
But  there  still  remain  examples  as  fresh  as  when  the  draughts- 
man first  left  them,  and  in  every  case  the  intention  of  the  artist 
must  be  taken  into  consideration.  There  are  pinholes  in  many  of 
the  sheets,  and  here  and  there  squares  are  drawn  across  the  paper. 
These,  it  may  be  stated,  are,  in  the  first  place,  for  the  purpose  of 
transferring  the  lines  to  other  paper  or  canvas,  or  for  enlarging 
the  design  to  greater  size.  The  latter  mode  prevails  to  a  great 
extent  even  in  these  days,  when  it  is  customary  for  the  painter  to 
make  modest  sketches  of  his  composition  in  a  general  way  and 
then  throw  them  up  for  final  work.  With  these  older  workers 
red  chalk  was  a  favorite  medium,  as  will  be  seen  here;  sometimes 
they  worked  in  pen  and  ink  and  gave  a  water  color  wash  after- 
ward to  strengthen  the  design.  Again,  white  crayon  was  used 
freely  to  accentuate  the  high  lights,  and  sepia  was  a  favorite  color 
to*  wash  over  the  work.  A  combination  of  three  or  more  colored 
chalks  was  used  once  in  a  while,  and  occasionally  flat  washes  of 
water  colors  gave  an  impression  of  completeness  and  finish  which 
made  the  composition  take  on  the  air  of  a  picture.  Generally, 


132  DRAWINGS    AND    El  CHINOS 

however,  one  or  at  most  two  colors  sufficed,  and  pencil  or  cray- 
on was  the  medium. 

By  Raphael  (58),  the  figure  of  a  man  about  to  plunge  down- 
ward, is  strong  and  certain  to  touch,  while  the  anatomy  is  ex- 
pressed with  knowledge  and  force,  and  it  is  very  suggestive,  a 
quality,  by  the  way,  that  is  apparent  in  many  of  the  designs  here. 
It  is  not  so  much  in  these  works  a  question  of  elaboration  or 
result,  for  in  many  instances  the  lines  are  few  and  seem  vague,  but 
it  is  what  they  are  intended  to  express  that  gives  them  value,  and 
this  is,  of  course,  more  apparent  to  the  trained  artistic  eye  than  to 
that  of  the  layman,  who  does  not  always,  perhaps,  altogether 
understand  the  point  of  view  of  the  author.  A  mere  line  or  two 
will  sometimes  mean  volumes  to  a  painter  when  it  is  well  ex- 
pressed, and  be  worth  more  than  the  most  finished  drawing,  in- 
differently done,  from  the  point  of  view  of  fidelity  and  artistic 
intention.  Good  work,  however,  is  always  authoritative,  and  the 
visitor  will  soon  see  the  distinction  possessed  by  the  strong  men 
and  will  be  impressed  by  the  certainty,  the  directness  and  the 
comprehensiveness  the  best  of  these  men  possess.  In  a  figure 
(72)  by  an  unknown  man  this  is  apparent  at  once.  It  is  the  merest 
suggestion  and  can  scarcely  be  analyzed,  but  it  means  much,  for 
with  only  a  hint  the  artist  has  defined  his  motive  and  suggested  a 
great  deal. 

Note  a  female  head  (90)  by  Bronzino,  drawn  in  red  chalk,  and 
see  how  well  expressed  are  all  the  forms;  look  at  the  fine  grada- 
tions of  the  cheek,  the  chin  and  the  eyes;  all  are  put  in  by  a  man 
who  knows.  You  cannot  pass  by  a  head  for  a  statue  (92),  by 
Michael  Angelo,  for  there  is  force  and  authority  in  every  line. 


BEBE  I<AI<OUETTE. 


JAMES  McNBII,  WHISTLER. 


134  DRAWINGS    AND    ETCHINGS 

This  is  also  in  red  chalk,  and  is  worked  out  with  simplicity,  yet 
effectively,  in  a  convincing  manner.  Or,  there  is  a  fine  nude 
figure,  seated,  by  Baccio  Bandinelli  (96),  a  contemporary  of 
Michael  Angelo,  and  a  sturdy  workman  who  draws  excellently 
well  and  "knows  his  metier,"  as  the  French  say.  The  names  here 
are  mostly  Italian,  and  include  such  men  as  Salvator  Rosa 
(94,  98)>  Antonio  Tempesta  (23,  89),  II  Rosso  (105),  Pollajuola 
(114,  115),  and  Andrea  del  Sarto  (104,  106),  who,  in  a  drawing  in 
black  crayon,  touched  with  white,  has  evolved  a  youthful  head 
(i  1 8),  put  in  with  freshness  and  charm.  Here  is  a  sketch  by  an 
unknown  (126),  called  "Prophetic  Figure,"  which  is  indistinct 
and  merely  suggested,  but  yet  full  of  possibilities,  as  will  be  seen 
be  careful  examination.  A  foreshortened  figure,  by  Michael  An- 
gelo (136),  is  interesting  and  well  rendered,  and  also  a  couple  of 
saints  in  adoration  (149),  painted  in  guash,  or  water  color,  mixed 
with  body  white,  is  extremely  suggestive. 

We  pass  by  work  by  Pontormo  (122,  124),  Antonio  Tempesta, 
Baldassare  Peruzzi  (145,  147),  Pocetti  (88,  146),  Fra  Batolom- 
meo  (132,  134,  135),  and  Micarino  (165,  167,  169,  171,  172,  183, 
184,  747),  all  well  known  to  collectors  and  students  of  Italian  art, 
and  we  come  to  a  piece  of  careful,  fine  pen  drawing,  executed  in 
great  detail,  by  Andrea  Mantegna  (189),  which  is  a  design  for  a 
decoration  for  the  Palace  of  San  Sabastiano,  at  Mantua;  and 
there  are  two  heads  of  saints,  by  Perugino  (197),  which  are 
touched  in  with  white  and  are  attractively  rendered.  There  are 
elaborate  compositions  here  in  embryo,  later  perhaps,  to  become 
masterpieces,  and  one  is  a  "Holy  Family"  (228),  artist  unknown, 
but  of  the  school  of  Correggio.  This  is  executed  in  red  chalk, 


DRAWINGS    AND     ETCHINGS 


135 


r^vV^ 


DUSTY 


SEYMOUR  HADEN. 


and  is  well  arranged  and  placed  and  worth  study  as  showing  the 
artist's  manner  of  evolving  his  theme  at  the  beginning.  The 
study  of  a  nude  figure  seen  from  a  rear  view,  by  Caracci  (263),  in 
red  and  black,  shows  the  artist's  familiarity  with  the  human  form 
and  his  ability  to  express  himself  in  line,  while  two  men  strug- 
gling (301),  by  Giovanni  da  Bologna,  is  powerful  in  the  expres- 
sion of  action  and  strength,  all  the  muscles  standing  out,  convey- 
ing a  sense  of  vigor,  the  development  of  the  athletic  being 
apparent. 

There  are  many  drawings  by  Guido  Reni  (313,  314,  320,  321, 
325,  326,  327,  328,  329,  331,  689, 691,  694,  721,  778),  generally  of 
religious  subjects,  Madonnas  and  children,  cupids  and  other 
figure  subjects,  all  of  which  are  of  interest  and  are  drawn  care- 


136  DRAWINGS    AND    ETCHINGS 

fully,  while  there  are  nude  figures,  by  Gandolfi  (335),  and  Biblical 
studies  by  Salvator  Rosa,  who  has  also  "A  Man  with  a  Jug" 
(348),  highly  interesting.  The  latter  also  has  a  number  of  land- 
scape drawings.  But  there  are  greater  names  here,  and  that  of 
Giovanni  Tiepolo  claims  attention.  This  famous  decorative 
painter  of  Venice  has  many  notes  here,  designs  for  ceilings  and 
walls,  groups  later  to  be  utilized  for  mural  work.  The  freedom 
of  manner  evident  in  his  painting,  for  he  was  a  master  with  his 
brush,  is  apparent  in  these  sketches,  which  though  hastily  in- 
dicated, have  a  nice  sense  of  line  and  decorative  feeling.  Remark 
Nos.  362,  366  and  367,  for  they  all  have  interest  and  convey  an 
idea  of  the  man's  first  conceptions  of  his  compositions  or  his 
studies  for  figures.  The  master  of  this  man  is  here,  too — Paolo 
Veronese,  who  has  several  subjects,  one  of  which  is  "A  Music 
Lesson"  (375),  and  another  is  a  study  of  heads  (376),  with  a  third, 
"The  Finding  of  Moses"  (380).  He  worked  with  consummate 
knowledge,  with  sureriess,  and,  indeed,  like  a  master,  as  will  be 
seen  if  one  will  take  the  trouble  to  look  carefully  into  the  work. 
The  name  of  Titian  is  here,  and  while  there  is  possibly  doubt  of 
some  of  the  attributions,  one  may  find  material  for  study.  A  little 
portrait  (397)  is  characteristic,  and  there  are  some  landscapes, 
with  a  number  of  works  credited  to  the  school  of  Titian,  and  it 
will  be  remembered  he  had  many  pupils  who  followed  his  man- 
ner very  closely,  both  in  the  drawing  and  the  painting. 

Jacobo  Tintoretto,  called  II  Tintoretto,  a  pupil  of  Titian,  is 
represented  here  by  several  drawings.  This  famous  Venetian 
left  a  mass  of  work,  and  was  ever  experimenting  and  drawing 
compositions,  some  of  which  saw  the  light  of  day  later  in  grand 


DRAWINGS    AND     ETCHINGS  137 

compositions  in  church  or  palace,  and  others  died  in  the  first 
stages  on  the  paper  of  his  note  books.  However,  there  are  sev- 
eral studies  for  figures,  or  for  compositions,  and  of  these  a 
"Bishop  with  a  Book"  (442)  is  entertaining  in  line  and  well  sug- 
gested, and  so  a  scheme  for  a  picture  of  the  "Sacrifice  of  Noah" 
(427)  may  be  studied  with  profit.  The  "Writing  on  the  Wall" 
(425)  is  full  of  possibilities  for  a  big  work.  Guardi,  painter  of 
architectural  bits  of  Venice,  is  here  with  a  drawing  (436),  and 
there  are  other  men  of  his  country,  who  may  not  be  mentioned, 
but  who  are  full  of  interest  in  many  ways.  From  these  we  come  to 
the  Dutch  and  Flemish  painters,  whose  drawings  were  on  a  par 
with  the  excellence  of  their  color  work,  and,  of  course,  those  by 
the  great  Rembrandt  (445,  446,  450,  451,  452,  453,  454,  455) 
must  be  studied  c.arefully,  for  this  man  was  a  master  of  line  no  less 
than  of  chiaroscuro,  and  his  etchings  are  the  best  expression  of 
motive  by  simple  strokes  perhaps  that  exist;  while  he  is  not 
represented  here  at  his  best,  what  there  is  shows  his  freedom  of 
touch,  his  management  of  the  line,  whereby  he  gets  full  value 
each  time,  together  with  his  directness  of  purpose. 

The  splendor  of  the  painting  of  Sir  Anthony  Van  Dyck  makes 
the  drawings  by  him  in  the  Museum  of  great  interest,  and  though 
they  are  of  varying  degrees  of  excellence,  some  of  them  are  enter- 
taining, particularly  one  of  a  "Madonna  and  Child  Surrounded 
by  Cherubs"  (457),  which  has  touches  of  blue  in  among  the  lines 
of  the  red  chalk.  Some  Rubens  (465,  466,  468,  471)  are  not  too 
impressive,  and  by  others  of  the  same  school  there  are  portriats 
and  figure  work.  By  Adrian  Van  Ostade  there  is  an  "Itinerant 
Fiddler"  (469),  which  is  washed  in  colors,  and  is  picture-like  in  its 


138  DRAWINGS     AND     ETCHINGS 

finish.  The  school  of  Murillo  shows  some  examples,  of  which  a 
"Madonna  and  Child"  (491)  is  attractive,  and  there  are  works  by 
the  great  Spaniard,  Velasquez,  notably  a  stipple  portrait  (498), 
with  a  "Cavalry  Battle"  (499),  and  the  subjects  500,  501,  502  and 
503,  wherein  there  are  action  and  a  big  way  of  looking  at  forms 
and  the  ensemble. 

Among  the  Frenchmen  there  are  the  names  of  Pierre  Subley- 
ras  (514),  Francois  Boucher  (515,  523),  Antoine  Watteau  (522, 
524,  525,  526).  Nicholas  Poussin  (527,  547,  554)  and  the  highly 
interesting  Jacques  Callot,  who  has  a  little  group  of  works  num- 
bered from  528  to  539,  all  of  which  are  worth  careful  inspection. 
In  the  cases  near  the  railing  of  the  gallery  a  number  of  drawings 
by  Michael  Angelo,  of  details  for  decorative  schemes,  are  instruc- 
tive, and  here  one  may  see  work  by  Raphael  (44,  58,  727,  734, 
739),  Paul  Veronese  (373,  380,  698),  Caracci  (248,  260,  743,  765), 
Maratti  (49,  758,  766),  Correggio  (215,  230,  759,  781),  Mme.  E. 
V.  Le  Brun  (540,  731),  and  a  collection  of  sketches  of  the  figure 
by  the  famous  sculptor,  Canova,  which  shows  the  man's  studies 
of  the  human  form.  Other  names  which  figure  here  are  Cadel, 
Coypel,  Claude  Lorraine,  Penelli  Camucini  and  Pinetti.  Nor 
must  the  point  work  of  an  able  modern  Frenchman  be  over- 
looked, for  A.  Legros,  professor  in  the  Slade  School,  of  London, 
and  a  man  of  distinction  with  the  etching  needle,  has  a  collection 
of  drawings  executed  in  silver  point,  some  of  them  done  in  an 
incredibly  short  space  of  time,  but  all  of  them  sincere  and  sure  to 
have  popular  appreciation.  There  are  fourteen,  and  they  include 
portraits  of  men,  women,  children  and  the  nude. 

If  the  American  Whistler  is  not  represented  in  the  paintings, 


DRAWINGS    AND    ETCHINGS  139 

he  at  least  may  be  seen  here  with  his  etching  needle,  of  which  he 
is  considered  one  of  the  modern  masters,  and  he  may  be  com- 
pared with  Seymour  Haden,  an  English  worker  in  the  same 
medium,  likewise  of  great  distinction.  There  are  here  Mr. 
Whistler's  famous  "Chelsea  Wharf"  (25),  a  beautiful  expression 
byline  of  a  theme  of  simple  dock  and  river;  the"Bebe  Lalouette," 
a  small  boy  with  an  old  fashioned  cap,  delightfully  frank  and  em- 
bodying a  feeling  of  child  life,  and  "Vauxhall  Bridge"  (32); 
there  are  in  all  some  twenty-five  or  more  works.  Mr.  Whistler 
knows  the  value  of  a  line  as  well  as  any  living  artist,  and  he  is 
able  to  express  himself  with  remakable  simplicity,  as  will  be  seen 
by  a  study  of  these  works,  while  the  printing  of  these  plates, 
mostly  by  the  artist  himself,  makes  them  still  more  valuable,  for 
he  has  obtained  all  there  is  to  the  copper  by  his  superior  knowl- 
edge of  the  possibilities  of  the  ink  and  the  proper  wiping  of  the 
metal.  The  work  of  Seymour  Haden  (i  to  23)  is  possibly  a  trifle 
more  conventional  than  that  of  Whistler  in  the  motive,  but  it  is 
scarcely  less  happy  in  line  and  in  the  disposition  of  light  and 
shade.  Several  of  his  famous  plates  are  here,  and  they  include 
landscapes  and  views  of  the  sea  and  shore,  with  bits  of  English 
villages,  engagingly  rendered  and  dexterously  bitten,  or 
wrought  out  by  simple  line. 

An  able  Frenchman,  Charles  Jacque,  is  likewise  represented  by 
nearly  a  score  of  etchings  (48  to  63),  wherein  the  motives  are 
carefully  considered  and  worked  out  in  great  detail.  The  sub- 
jects are  of  his  native  land,  of  the  peasantry,  animals  and  land- 
scapes, interiors  of  farms  and  blacksmith  shop,  all  showing  fine 
artistic  feeling  and  much  knowledge  of  composition,  with  a  thor- 


140  DRAWINGS    AND    ETCHINGS 

ough  command  of  the  possibilities  of  his  medium.  There  are 
prints  from  Turner's  Liber  Studiorum  and  other  of  his  works 
(64  to  71),  and  there  are  plates  by  A.  Appian,  A.  Taiee,  Daubigny, 
Edouard  Frere,  Meryon  (a  most  distinguished  French  etcher), 
Lalanne,  whose  name  is  associated  with  charcoal  drawings,  and 
Frederick  Walker,  the  Englishman.  These  conclude  the  draw- 
ings and  will  give  an  idea  of  the  collections.  The  visitor  can  see 
them  in  the  best  of  light,  under  excellent  facilities  for  study,  and 
an  hour  may  be  profitably  spent  among  these  ancient  and  modern 
workers,  most  of  whom  were  masters  with  the  point  and  who 
here  show  how  much  may  be  expressed  by  a  few  strokes  of  the 
pencil,  the  pen,  the  needle,  or  a  piece  of  chalk. 


EARUEST  KNOWN   MINIATURE  OF  WASHINGTON. 

WASHINGTON,  FRANKLIN  AND  LAFAYETTE  COL- 
LECTION. 

F   special  national  interest   is  the  exhibi- 
tion in  Gallery  n,  known  as  the  Hunting- 
ton    collection,     relating    to     Washington, 
Franklin   and   Lafayette,    presented  to  the 
Museum  by  W.   R.   Huntington,  with  con- 
tributions,   and   other    gentlemen,    togeth- 
er    with     loaned     articles,     consisting      of 
many    portraits,    engravings,    medals    and 
statuary,    with    not    a    little    faience     and 
curios    of    the    time    concerning    these     distinguished     men. 
Mr.   Huntington  was  an  American,  who  resided   for   nearly 
two  score  vears  in  Paris.     He  was  a  man  of  fortune,  the  inti- 


142    WASHINGTON,  FRANKLIN  AND  LAFAYETTE  COLLECTION 

mate  of  many  of  the  prominent  men  of  his  time,  and  of  a  literary 
turn,  contributing  to  the  periodicals  of  the  day.  He  began  this 
collection  in  a  modest  way,  and  with  its  growth  and  importance 
he  became  profoundly  interested  in  the  work.  He  made  his 
friend  Mr.  George  A.  Lucas,  of  Baltimore,  his  executor,  and 
gave  the  collection  to  the  Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art.  From 
time  to  time  Mr.  Lucas  has  given  material  of  the  time  relating  to 
the  men,  including  the  famous  portrait  of  Franklin  by  Duplessis, 
while  Mr.  S.  P.  Avery  has  also  made  valuable  contributions,  ma- 
terially adding  to  the  importance  of  the  collection. 

Perhaps  the  most  important  contribution  here  is  the  original 
death  mask  of  the  first  President  of  the  United  States,  which  was 
formerly  in  the  possession  of  the  Hon.  Henry  A.  Wise,  of  Vir- 
ginia, and  is  now  loaned  by  the  Hon.  George  Shea.  The  expres- 
sion is  like  that  in  most  of  the  existing  portraits  and  is  easily 
recognizable.  It  possesses  strength,  dignity  and  fine  character 
and  is  of  the  deepest  interest.  There  are  also  likenesses  in  oil,  by 
Edward  Savage,  a  painter  of  Washington's  day,  and  Colonel 
John  Trumbull,  who  has  also  some  miniatures  on  ivory;  busts  in 
marble,  plaster  and  terra  cotta,  with  representations  of  the  great 
man  in  faience,  on  china  and  pottery,  on  silk  and  in  other 
mediums.  Even  the  Chinese  have  taken  a  hand  in  the  general 
effort  to  perpetuate  his  memory,  for  here  may  be  seen  a  curious 
Oriental  painting,  on  the  most  delicate  silk,  of  General  Wash- 
ington attired  in  the  flowing  draperies  of  a  Chinaman,  with  a 
decidedly  Oriental  cast  of  countenance,  but  still  recognizable. 
Still  another  Chinese  artist  has  portrayed  him,  having  made  a 
copy  in  water  color  of  an  American  picture. 


FRANKUN. 


DUPI<ESSIS. 


144    WASHINGTON,  FRANKLIN  AND  LAFAYETTE  COLLECTION 

These  portraits  continue  in  a  variety  of  forms  and  different  ex- 
pressions, which  are  most  interesting  to  study,  and  it  is  doubtful 
if  a  more  complete  collection  exists.  There  are  some  etchings, 
the  original  plates  being  preserved  in  the  cases  with  the  impres- 
sions alongside.  Here  is  that  by  E.  Bocourt,  from  the  Christ 
Church  bust;  the  plate  and  proof  by  Henry  Lefort,  from  the 
miniature  by  Peticolas,  made  in  1796,  and  those  from  the  minia- 
ture by  C.  W.  Peale.  In  the  case,  between  these  last  two,  is  a 
saucer  owned  and  used  by  Washington  and  bearing  his  mono- 
gram. Many  curious  pitchers  bear  pictures  in  color,  or  model- 
lings in  relief,  of  Washington,  and  some  of  them  are  most  rare. 
Not  a  few  are  absurd  in  their  curious  likenesses,  and  others  again 
are  highly  artistic.  One  unusual  wood  carving,  on  the  top  of  a 
box,  excellently  well  designed — a  bust  portrait — was  purchased 
by  Mr.  S.  P.  Avery  in  Holland  and  presented  to  this  collection. 
A  large  life  size  silhouette  in  black,  is  framed  here,  and  there  are 
innumerable  prints  of  the  day  and  a  later  period,  some  of  them 
colored,  most  of  them  published  in  America,  and  a  few  coming 
from  abroad,  France  contributing  the  greater  share.  These  last 
do  not  always  come  up  to  the  standard  of  dignity  and  impressive- 
ness  of  the  best  examples,  but  they  will  repay  study  and  may  be 
seen  in  the  revolving  cases.  Among  the  engravings  may  be  men- 
tioned work  by  Edward  Savage,  W.  Sharp,  F.  Bartoli,  D.  Edwin 
and  W.  Nutter;  the  large  engraving,  by  Langier,  after  the  paint- 
ing by  Cogniet;  the  Trumbull  portrait,  on  the  Trenton  battle- 
field, engraved  by  W.  Warner;  a  most  amusing  set  of  French 
proofs,  including  a  tall  and  slender  military  gentleman,  meant  to 
represent  Washington,  standing  in  a  grove  of  palms.  Then  there 


WASHINGTON,  FRANKLIN  AND  LAFAYETTE  COLLECTION    145 


A  LAFAYETTE  PLATE. 


is  the  fine  plate,  by  James  Heath,  the  Englishman,  after  the  fa- 
mous portrait  by  Gilbert  Stuart,  owned  by  the  Marquis  of  Lans- 
downe;  the  Rothermel  picture,  engraved  by  A.  H.  Ritchie;  the 
fine  Marshall  engraving,  with  many  embroideries  on  silk. 

The  large  and  effective  plate  by  Henri  Lefort  should  not  be 


146    WASHINGTON,  FRANKLIN  AND  LAFAYETTE  COLLECTION 

missed,  nor  that  after  Rembrandt  Peale,  by  Adam  B.  Walter, 
and  there  is  an  apotheosis  of  the  great  man,  also  by  Peale, 
engraved  by  Edwin,  which,  unfortunately,  is  not  impressive.  In 
the  centre  of  the  room  there  is  a  statuette  of  the  General  on 
horseback,  an  original  study  for  a  colossal  statue  destroyed  by 
fire  at  the  Crystal  Palace,  in  1855.  This  is  by  Baron  Charles 
Marochetti,  an  Italian  sculptor,  and  if  somewhat  conventional  in 
design  is,  nevertheless,  workmanlike  and  able  in  its  rendering. 
There  is,  in  one  of  the  engraving  cases,  a  document  signed  by 
George  Washington  as  President  of  the  United  States,  dated 
August  4,  1789,  appointing  Benjamin  Walker  Naval  Officer  of 
the  Port  of  New  York,  wherein  both  printing  and  writing  are 
nearly  as  fresh  as  when  first  executed.  Above  this  is  an  engrav- 
ing representing  Washington  being  translated  to  glory  by  Time 
and  an  angel,  while  Columbia  and  an  Indian  weep  at  his  tomb. 
There  is  no>  indication  as  to  either  artist  or  engraver,  but  the 
print  was  published  in  Philadelphia,  in  1802,  by  Simon  Chandron. 
Scarcely  of  less  interest  is  the  material  appertaining  to  Ben- 
jamin Franklin,  consisting  almost  altogether  of  portraits,  the 
larger  portion  of  which  are  without  title  or  indication  of  author- 
ship. The  well-known  painting  in  oil  by  Duplessis,  the  French 
artist,  executed  for  the  Viscount  de  Buissy,  is  here,  and  is  like  the 
man  as  the  world  knows  him  through  portraiture.  In  a  coat  of 
red,  with  a  fur  collar,  the  Quaker  philosopher  looks  benignly 
down,  his  splendid  face  being  full  of  intelligence  and  thoughtful 
dignity.  Not  all  the  portraits  here  convey  so  satisfactory  an  idea 
of  the  man,  for  they  run  the  gamut  from  this  through  a  lot  of 
sketchy  work,  bas-reliefs  and  drawings,  down  to  Japanese  inter- 


WASHINGTON,  FRANKLIN  AND  LAFAYETTE  COLLECTION     147 


CHINESE   PORTRAIT   OF  WASHINGTON. 

pretations,  which,  while  more  or  less  ingenious,  are  by  no  means 
the  Franklin-s  of  pleasant  memory.  These,  it  may  be  added,  of 
which  there  are  many,  embrace  some  bas-relief  work  in  colors, 
with  Franklin  in  Japanese  garb,  Kakamonos  in  water  color  and 
guash  drawings.  There  are  some  small  panels  in  oil,  by  unknown 
painters,  many  miniatures  and  statuettes  in  faience,  marble,  ala- 
baster and  other  material,  with  bronzes  innumerable  and  many 
medallions. 

An  autograph  letter  to  his  friends,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Barr,  dated 
November  14,  1785,  will  give  an  idea  of  the  man's  charm  of  man- 
ner, his  witty  expressiveness  and  his  warm  friendship.  Another 


148    WASHINGTON,  FRANKLIN  AND  LAFAYETTE  COLLECTION 

portrait  in  oil  is  by  Stephen  Elmer,  and  shows  Franklin,  in  a 
green  coat  with  a  smile  on  his  face,  engrossed  in  a  newspaper,  and 
there  are  two>  pastel  portaits.  Of  prints  there  are  many,  mostly 
French,  for  it  will  be  remembered  that  as  special  American  Am- 
bassador to  Paris  he  had  a  grand  success  socially,  as  well  as 
politically,  in  that  city.  The  portrait  after  Van  Loo,  with  enor- 
mous great  spectacles,  is  very  interesting,  and  the  engraving  here 
by  Alix  is  colored.  The  drawing  after  the  bust  by  Houdin,  by 
Boumin,  is  engraved  by  Chevillet,  and  is  here.  There  is  a  curious 
collection  of  small  prints  of  quaint  design  and  quainter  workman- 
ship, and  of  American  drawings  there  are  quite  a  number,  includ- 
ing the  Chamberlain  portrait,  engraved  by  Fisher,  and  also  the 
Wilson  picture,  mezzo-tinted  by  McArdell. 

Lafayette  shares  an  equal  representation  with  the  other  ^wo 
men  just  referred  to,  and  there  is  collected  here  a  series  of  por- 
traits from  youth  to  old  age  of  the  patriot  General,  whose  name 
is  so  intimately  associated  with  the  American  struggle  for  free- 
dom. His  countrymen  have  modelled  him  in  bronze  and  plaster, 
making  artistic  creations  in  bas-reliefs,  medals  and  plaques.  He 
is  painted  on  china  also,  and  engraved  in  the  highest  style  of  the 
art,  and  his  features  have  been  distorted  in  many  ways. 

One  may  see  in  a  curious  print  the  youthful  features  of  Marie 
Paul  Joseph  Roch  Yves  Gilbert  Mottier,  Marquis  de  la  Fayette 
— to  give  his  full  title — and  remark  a  handsome  face  in  a  curled 
wig,  and  pigtail  tied  with  ribbon.  We  learn  that  he  is  "Marechal 
des  Camps,  General  de  la  Melice  Parisienne,"  but  the  print  does 
not  give  a  trace  of  warlike  ferocity.  More  convincing  is  a  print 
after  the  painting  by  Jean  Weyler,  engraved  by  Guerin  in  1792. 


WASHINGTON,  FRANKLIN  AND  LAFAYETTE  COLLECTION    149 

Airy  Scheffer  painted  him  in  1822,  and  the  thirty  years  have 
made  him  an  old  man,  but  still  distingue-looking,  with  his  hat 
and  cane.  There  is  a  curious  document  calling  him  the  "hero  of 
two  worlds,"  announcing  his  acceptance  once  more  of  the  com- 
mand of  the  National  Guard.  This  is  lithographed  after  the 
original,  executed  with  a  pen  by  one  A.  Berliner,  a  writing  mas- 
ter, so  to  speak,  and  there  are  flourishes  of  the  most  gorgeous 
and  complicated  nature,  with  a  portrait  done  in  point.  Then  there 
is  the  same  distinguished  Frenchman,  on  the  field  of  battle,  en- 
veloped in  a  voluminous  gray  cloak;  also  in  the  splendor  of  his 
full  uniform,  at  a  review;  on  horseback;  and,  again,  seated  in  a 
blaze  of  light,  receiving  the  shades  of  the  Continental  army, 
whose  spirits  are  flocking  to  honor  him.  He  is  also  seen  in  prison, 
with  a  blacksmith  forging  on  him  chains  and  manacles,  while  a 
beatified  expression  lights  up  his  face,  and  a  file  of  absurd  sol- 
diers in  wigs  and  great  shakos  look  on  with  much  commiseration. 
There  are  other  objects  of  interest,  but  enough  has  been  referred 
to  for  the  reader  to  obtain  a  general  idea  of  the  collection,  which 
is  thoroughly  enjoyable. 


CHINESE  PORCELAIN,   GARLAND   COI^ECTION. 

THE  PORCELAINS. 

HERE  is  an  extensive  group  of  porcelains 
at  the  Museum,  coming  from  various 
sources,  a  considerable  portion  of  it  being 
loaned.  The  principal  collection  is  that 
loaned  by  the  well  known  collector,  James 
A.  Garland,  and  consists  of  some  twenty- 
three  cases,  arranged  along  one  whole  side 
of  the  gallery  above  the  main  hall.  The 
showing  here  is  very  complete,  and  the 


THE    PORCELAINS  151 

collection  in  its  entirety  is  one  of  the  most  valuable  in  the  world. 
It  enjoys  great  fame  among  collectors,  and  affords  material  for 
the  intimate  study  of  the  art,  of  which  the  Chinese  are  the  most 
successful  practitioners  of  all  workers.  It  is  not  given  to  every 
one  to  have  an  appreciation  of  the  charm  of  this  attractive  and 
difficult  art,  and,  as  in  other  matters  of  an  aesthetic  nature,  much 
study  is  required  to  fully  comprehend  the  motives  and  the 
achievements  of  the  men  who  have  produced  the  many  rare  and 
beautiful  pieces.  But  it  will  be  immediately  apparent  to  the  lay- 
man that  some  of  the  objects  here  are  the  result  of  rare  skill,  an 
intimate  knowledge  of  chemistry  in  the  production  of  exquisite 
color  effects,  of  an  infinite  patience  in  the  management  of  kilns 
and  the  firing  processes  that  have  resulted  in  the  production  of 
such  wondrous  colors,  delicate  forms  and  fascinating  textures. 

As  the  Chinese  are  the  best  at  the  work  of  producing  beautiful 
porcelains,  they  are  also  the  first  known  nation  to  begin  its 
manufacture,  and  though  there  is  much  mythical  lore  on  the  sub- 
ject, the  beginning  of  the  art  dates  really  from  the  sixth  century 
of  the  Christian  era.  To  speak  of  the  different  dynasties  in  a  brief 
review  would  be  but  to  confuse  the  reader,  for  the  names  are 
many,  of  peculiar  spelling  and  pronunciation,  and  the  catalogue 
will  give  in  detail  such  particulars.  This  article  is  intended  mainly 
to  interest  the  reader,  to  give  a  general  idea  of  the  collections 
and  to  call  attention  to  the  more  important  pieces.  From  the 
ninth  to  the  twelfth  centuries  the  manufacture  of  porcelain  re- 
ceived great  development.  The  dynasty  of  the  Mings  gave  the 
art  its  greatest  impetus.  Porcelain  is  distinguished  from  other 
ceramic  products  by  its  whiteness,  transparency  and  vitrification, 


152  THE    PORCELAINS 

and  it  is  made  in  hard  and  soft  pastes.  It  is  composed  of  a  mix- 
ture of  feldspar  and  quartz  and  a  hydricated  silicate  of  alumina; 
the  first  two  give  transparency,  and  the  last  plasticity  and 
strength  .  It  is  prepared  most  carefully,  and  finally  put  on  a  pot- 
ter's wheel,  where  it  gets  its  attractive  form  according  to  the 
taste  and  the  skill  of  the  potter.  It  is  fired  and  colored,  and  fired 
again,  sometimes  receiving  many  bakings  before  a  satisfactory 
result  is  obtained,  and  it  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  ele- 
ment of  chance  enters  largely  into  the  result  in  the  matter  of  the 
final  color.  Many  of  the  blues,  for  example,  that  do  not  go  just 
right  at  the  beginning,  receive  on  second  firing  a  coat  of  red,  and 
the  result  is  a  purple.  Similarly,  the  yellows  receive  blue  and  be- 
come green  in  the  end,  and  so  on,  until  some  satisfactory  result  is 
obtained. 

This  is,  of  course,  only  a  general  description  of  the  methods  of 
the  potters.  Other  details  are  necessary  in  the  difficult  and 
elaborate  decorations  that  are  seen  on  many  of  the  pieces  here, 
which  require  the  most  careful  and  patient  preparation,  and  of 
which  a  full  account  may  be  had  in  special  writings  on  the  subject. 
However,  in  the  single  colors,  the  requisites  are  fine  tones,  a  per- 
fect surface  and  artistic  shapes,  and  so  far  are  the  good  pieces 
above  the  commonplace  that  their  distinction  is  at  once  felt  in- 
tuitively, as  it  were,  and  one  hardly  needs  any  special  education 
to  be  impressed  with  the  excellence.  The  shapes  in  the  Garland 
collection  are  almost  infinite,  and  seem  to  have  exhausted  all  the 
ingenuity  that  the  brain  of  man  could  suggest.  It  is,  of  course, 
impossible  to  refer  in  detail  to  all  the  beautiful  things  here,  but  a 
few  may  be  pointed  put  as  more  noticeable,  though  each  case 


CHINESE   PORCELAIN,    BI<ACK   HAWTHORNE   VARIETY. 


154  THE    PORCELAINS 

is  a  study  by  itself,  and  will  entertain  the  visitor  many  an  hour. 
In  case  i  there  are  large  vases  depicting  court  scenes,  in  many 
colors,  painted  like  miniatures  and  perfect  in  the  forms  and  the 
representations  of  the  incidents.  These  are  variously  decorated 
and  are  of  the  period  1661-1722.  There  are  rare,  queer 
dragons  here  and  teapots  of  peculiar  and  quite  original  shapes. 
In  case  2,  are  vases  with  decorations  on  a  black  ground,  one  of 
the  most  difficult  results  to  obtain.  The  pieces  are  mostly  large, 
and  there  are  some  animal  figures  here  as  well. 

Rose  enamel  is  the  prevailing  color  in  case  3.  Now  and  then 
there  are  single  color  pieces  of  beautiful  reds,  or  greens,  or  other 
tones,  and  in  case  4,  there  are  some  plates  made  for  European 
patrons  bearing  the  coat  of  arms  of  some  distinguished  family 
and  the  name;  thus  one  may  see  that  of  Brabandt  and  of  Loven 
among  others.  Blue  dominates  in  case  5,  and  a  remarkable 
variety  of  tones  of  this  color  has  been  obained.  Two  beautiful 
Hawthorne  jars  may  be  seen  here.  In  the  next  case  are  delicate 
egg  shell  plates,  cups  and  saucers,  though  always  there  are  many 
magnificent  vases,  objects  of  interest  and  figures  of  birds,  animals 
and  gods.  Now  and  then  there  is  a  lantern  of  exquisite  design 
and  seeming  entirely  impracticable  for  any  use,  save  for  a  place  in 
some  cabinet,  to  be  admired  for  its  delicacy  of  form,  color,  or  its 
fragile  daintiness.  Greens  in  case  13,  are  ascribed  to  a  province  of 
China,  where  porcelain  manufacture  has  long  been  forgotten,  and 
there  are  several  pieces  of  clair  de  lune,  a  sort  of  tone  of  gray  blue, 
approximating  moonlight,  as  the  name  indicates.  In  case  14,  are 
many  curious  pieces,  such  as  figures  of  gods  and  heroes  of  myth- 
ology, cages,  animals  and  pipes,  and  in  case  16  are  teapots  in 


THE   PORCELAINS  155 

many  varieties,  shaped  as  monkeys,  cocks,  fishes,  flowers  and 
dragons. 

When  it  is  remembered  that  these  cases  contain  from  fifty  to 
seventy  pieces  each  some  idea  of  the  size  of  the  collection  may  be 
had.  The  dexterity  with  which  these  Oriental  workers  have 
utilized  the  forms  of  flowers,  leaves  and  growing  stuff,  to  furnish 
motives  for  new  and  unique  forms,  is  truly  remarkable.  There  is 
a  jar  in  case  20,  with  floral  decorations,  that  is  most  beautiful  and 
well  worth  careful  examination,  for  it  is  delicately  wrought  out 
and  attractively  modelled,  quite  apart  from  its  remarkable  color. 
While  the  beauties  of  these  pieces  are  at  once  apparent,  it  would 
seem  to  almost  any  visitor  that  there  is  behind  the  first  impres- 
sion such  a  wealth  of  invention,  so  much  variety  in  the  color  and 
such  wonderful  achievements  in  the  comprehension  of  the  possi- 
bilities of  the  chemical  arrangement  of  pigment,  that  careful  con- 
sideration will  give  rise  to  a  further  appreciation  and  a  deep 
respect  for  the  skill  and  the  artistic  endowments  of  this  strange 
people. 

On  three  sides  of  the  walls  of  room  20  are  cases  of  Japanese 
porcelains  and  wares,  loaned  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  Everit  Macy, 
who  have  also  a  case  in  the  middle  of  the  room.  The  collection 
is  notable  for  its  beauty,  as  well  as  for  the  ingenious  ugliness  of 
these  Oriental  artists.  There  are  great  vases  illuminated  in  many 
colors  and  made  in  many  shapes,  of  Imari  porcelains,  and  there  is 
a  big  water  vessel,  decorated  mostly  in  green  and  yellow,  having 
some  figures  at  a  game  of  checkers,  and  these  are  of  the  latter 
part  of  the  last  and  the  first  part  of  this  century.  A  dragon  of 
most  unique  horribleness,  several  figures  of  high  born  ladies  and 


156  THE   PORCELAINS 

a  fat  and  absurd  statuette,  half  lifesize,  of  the  God  Hotel,  with  a 
boy  clinging  to  his  skirts,  should  all  be  observed.  These  are  in 
cases  numbered  from  21  to  26.  In  cases  14-20  is  a  varied  assort- 
ment of  china  and  porcelain,  bowls,  jars  and  vessels,  many  blue 
and  white,  and  mainly  in  queer  and  unusual  forms,  with  quaint 
decorations  and  much  delicate  openwork.  Many  of  the  pieces 
will  repay  the  most  careful  study. 

Case  8-13  contains  teapots,  jars,  water  vessels  and  vases  in 
faience  and  stoneware.  Some  of  these  have  raised  figures  in  rich 
and  beautiful  colors,  others  again  have  been  twisted  by  the  pot- 
ter in  remarkable  shapes,  and  more  follow  conventional  designs, 
but  with  elaborate  ornamentation.  There  is  some  very  attractive 
Kyoto  faience  among  these,  with  lovely  deep  blues  and  brownish 
yellows,  wrought  out  in  graceful  figures  of  conventionalized 
flowers  and  fruits.  In  the  smaller  case  there  are  many  so-called 
Alcove  ornaments  of  stone  ware,  comprising  dragons,  figures  of 
grotesque  men,  birds  and  animals,  including  bulls  and  horses, 
but  all  having  some  curious  Oriental  significance.  Note  here  a 
figure  (20)  in  blue  and  green,  a  group  in  brown — a  sort  of  Japan- 
esque "Croquemitaine,"  and  a  figure  in  a  red  robe  (105) 
"Daruma."  There  is  also  a  quaint  bottle  (150)  dating  back  to 
1800. 

A  case  of  tea  jars  and  bowls,  presented  by  Samuel  Colman, 
contains  an  interesting  collection  of  the  ware  generally  in  use  in 
Japan,  and  is  mostly  in  browns  of  various  tones  and  simple 
shapes.  Two  of  the  more  elaborate  of  these  are  231  and  226,  the 
latter  being  decorated  almost  like  a  mediaeval  missal,  mainly  in 
red  and  gold.  There  is  an  ancient  Chinese  jar  here,  dating  back 


THE    PORCELAINS  157 

to  B.  C.  200,  an  old  cake  bowl  and  some  Corean  ware,  one  piece 
of  which  also  goes  back  to  B.  C.  200.  In  the  case  1-7,  also  from 
Mr.  Colman,  are  many  more  things,  of  which  an  incense  burner  is 
quaint  in  its  shape  and  color.  Some  oil  bottles  in  brown,  wine 
and  pilgrim  bottles  and  other  objects  in  green  and  some  delight- 
ful whites,  with  a  clair  de  lune,  a  gray  or  two,  and  a  number  of 
incense  boxes,  are  worthy  attention.  There  are  also  a  yellowish 
white  Chinese  jar  and  numerous  tea  bowls.  In  the  centre  of  the 
room  there  is  a  fine  bronze  vase,  gold  inlaid,  presented  by  Robert 
Gordon. 

The  collection  in  gallery  21  was  presented  by  Charles  Stewart 
Smith,  one  of  the  trustees,  and  includes  a  beautiful  selection  of 
blue  and  white  in  case  5-10.  Here  the  tones  run  from  the  deepest 
ultramarine  in  the  pair  of  jars  (337)  to  the  most  delicately  sug- 
gested tint  on  the  water  vessel  (329).  Desk  screens,  clove  boilers, 
wine  cups,  vases,  bonbon  holders,  cups  and  saucers  and  figures 
are  all  included.  The  collection  is  most  attractive  and  has  the 
elements  of  popularity.  A  water  vessel  in  white,  with  turtles  in 
blue  (379),  is  interesting,  and  a  quaint  flower  vase,  of  a  scroll  with 
two  amusing  little  figures,  is  unusual.  A  dancing  demon,  in  case 
3,  carved  in  wood,  shows  the  patience  and  ingenuity  of  the  Japa- 
nese artist,  and  is  characteristic  of  the  grewsome  inventiveness 
of  the  race.  Another  and  equally  horrible  figure  is  in  case  2.  In 
case  18-23  are  more  porcelains,  pottery  and  a  number  of  bronzes, 
mostly  of  birds  and  animals. 

A  superb  collection  of  material  from  the  Orient,  with  Roman 
and  Greek  work,  was  presented  to  the  Museum  in  1891  by 
Edward  C.  Moore.  So  numerous  are  the  things  here,  embracing 


158  THE    PORCELAINS 

so  many  countries  and  kinds  of  work,  that  it  is  impossible  to  be- 
gin to  do  justice  to  this  exhibition  in  gallery  15.  The  Japanese 
sword  guards  and  the  hanging  boxes  are  worth  a  chapter  by 
themselves,  while  the  little  grotesque  ivory  carvings  are  gems  in 
their  way.  There  are  inlaid  papier  mache  boxes  of  Persian  work- 
manship;  boxes  in  bamboo,  inlaid,  and  trays  of  many  sorts.  There 
are  necklaces  from  the  Indies,  Hungary  and  Turkey,  with  Per- 
sian horse  trappings  of  the  most  gorgeous  nature.  There  is,  also 
old  glass,  Phoenician,  Grecian,  Roman  and  other.  The  pottery, 
however,  from  the  Moore  collection  is  quite  unique.  It  embraces 
various  kinds  and  is  more  subdued  in  color,  as  a  rule,  than  the 
rest  here,  running  into  darker  tones.  It  also  includes  some  His- 
panO'-Moresque  plates  in  fine  order  and  some  unusually  curious 
large  vases.  There  is  a  quaint  old  lamp,  numbered  60,  together 
with  some  sumptuous  tiles.  A  great  deal  of  irridescent  glassware 
and  glazes  are  here,  some  mere  fragments,  but  wonderful  in 
colors.  There  is  also  a  collection  of  Tanagra  figurines. 

A  collection  purchased  by  the  Museum  from  Mr.  S.  P.  Avery 
occupies  gallery  17,  and  contains  much  beautiful  blue  and  white, 
with  various  work  in  color,  and  a  variety  of  pieces  in  single 
colors,  in  such  tints  as  deep  blues,  greens,  pale  blues,  robin's  egg, 
yellows  and  delicate  tones  of  gray.  The  shapes,  too,  are  unique 
at  times,  and  nearly  always  graceful.  There  are  some  large 
vases  and  figures  in  color,  and  some  of  the  former  are  fine  in  the 
originality  both  of  color  and  form.  The  European  porcelains 
are  to  be  found  in  the  Marquand  collection  in  room  24,  where 
may  also  be  seen  a  superb  assortment  of  Hispano-Moresque 
plaques,  as  well  as  some  old  Italian  ones.  There  is 


THE    PORCELAINS  159 

beautiful  old  Delft  work  of  the  early  XVIII  century  in 
vases,  plaques,  jars  and  even  a  bird  cage,  together  with 
tea-kettle,  stand  and  lamp,  and  single  pieces  of  fruit,  the  last 
named  not,  it  must  be  confessed,  very  impressive.  The  daintiness 
of  the  Dresden  works  may  be  studied  in  many  beautiful  speci- 
mens. Then  there  is  china  from  Berlin,  Vienna  and  England, 
including  Crown  Derby,  Bristol,  Worcester  and  Wedgwood. 
From  the  latter  there  is  one  of  the  fifty  copies  of  the  Portland 
vase,  made  in  1790  by  Wedgwood.  Two  fine  old  vases,  once  the 
property  of  Louis  XVI.,  stand  in  a  case  by  themselves.  They 
are  handsome  specimens  of  their  kind.  Some  quaint  Capo  di 
Monte  ware,  with  much  gold  and  color  on  it,  is  highly  interest- 
ing, and  some  more  French  work  from  Lille,  Rouen  and  Mar- 
seilles should  be  noted.  Such,  in  a  general  way,  is  the  material 
offered  for  the  visitor's  inspection.  Most  of  it  is  tabletted  so  that 
at  a  glance  its  nationality  is  apparent  and  its  date  is  clear.  A  little 
preliminary  reading  will  enable  the  spectator  to  look  with  more 
intelligence  and  give  him  a  better  appreciation  of  what  is  shown, 
but  in  most  cases  the  beauty,  delicacy  and  skill  are  obvious  and 
compel  admiration  instantly. 


SIXTEENTH   CENTURY   ARMS. 

ARMS  AND  ARMOR. 

HE  collection  of  arms  and  armor  at  the 
Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art  is  fairly  com- 
prehensive, and  is  mostly  contained  in  an 
interesting  group  presented  by  John  S 
Ellis,  displayed  in  Gallery  18.  There  are, 
however,  two  cases  in  the  corridor  on  en- 
tering, and  a  few  things  in  Gallery  14. 
Of  the  first,  on  the  lower  floor,  a  suit  of 
armor  of  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century 

must  be  noticed.      The  earliest  metal  protection  was  light  and 
serviceable,  and  usually  covered  the  body  in  part  only.     This 


ARMS     AND     ARMOR  161 

gradually  increased  in  weight  and  parts,  and  before  the  last  of 
its  use  its  manufacture  became  a  fine  art,  and  enabled  skilled 
artisans  to  display  dexterity  in  its  ornamentation,  while  its 
possession  was  limited  to  the  most  prosperous  of  the  nobility  and 
royalty.  It  finally  became  heavy  and  cumbersome,  and  many 
of  these  shown  here  are  tilting  suits  of  great  weight,  and  were 
by  no  means  ment  for  regular  warfare.  If  the  visitor  will  look 
at  a  case  on  the  right  hand  side  on  entering  he  will  see  a  beauti- 
ful bronze  figure  of  a  man  on  horseback,  both  rider  and  animal 
wearing  complete  suits  of  steel,  perfect  in  every  respect,  and  an 
idea  may  be  had  of  the  manner  of  carrying  these  curious  pro- 
tections as  well  as  the  inconvenience  which  must  have  ensued. 

The  sixteenth  century  suit  referred  to  at  the  beginning  is  em- 
bossed in  the  highest  style  of  the  art  of  smithwork,  being  cov- 
ered with  the  most  elaborate  designs  of  figures  in  action,  on 
horseback,  and  in  graceful  attitudes,  showing  keen  artistic  feel- 
ing and  costing  a  large  sum. 

There  are  here  pieces  for  the  head  and  body,  together  with 
gauntlets,  all  chased  in  delicate  tracery,  and  worth  careful  inspec- 
tion. Behind  this  case  is  another  with  a  complete  Gothic  suit  of 
the  fourteenth  century.  The  work  is  without  ornamentation, 
and  there  are  pointed  foot  coverings,  gauntlets  and  helmet.  It  is 
evidently  a  tilting  suit,  and  must  have  taken  a  sturdy  warrior  to 
wear  it  comfortably,  if,  indeed,  it  ever  was  easy  when  in  use.  In 
the  same  case  are  a  couple  of  swords  of  steel  of  the  time,  and  they 
look  formidable.  In  another  case  are  suits  of  chain  mail,  once  in- 
vulnerable to  the  weapons  of  the  enemy,  and  worn  even  as  late  as 
the  last  half  of  the  present  century,  as  a  protection,  or,  at  least, 


162  ARMS    AND    ARMOR 

a  fancied  guard  against  the  dagger  or  the  bullet  of  the  assassin, 
for  it  was  said  that  the  Emperor  of  the  French  and  the  Czar  of 
Russia  both  took  this  precaution,  and  carried  against  their  per- 
son, under  the  clothes  of  ordinary  life,  shirts  of  steel  mail.  The 
mail  armor  in  this  case,  however,  dates  back  several  centuries,  is 
worn  by  time,  rusty  and  broken  in  parts  here  and  there. 

In  Gallery  14  there  are  many  reproductions  of  the  shapes  and 
makes  of  shields,  mostly  Italian,  and  of  iron,  many  of  them  with 
the  most  elaborate  decoration  wrought  out  of  iron,  incised  and 
drawn  with  considerable  distinction.  There  are  classic  composi- 
tions, pictures  of  Greek  and  Roman  warriors,  with  battle  scenes, 
all  in  a  variety  of  shapes  with  inlays  of  gold  and  precious  metals. 
There  are  many  hemlets  here  also,  of  differing  designs,  generally, 
as  with  the  shields,  highly  decorated.  It  is,  however,  in  Gallery 
1 8  that  the  most  complete  collection  is  to  be  found  and  here 
there  are  not  only  many  kinds  of  armor,  but,  in  addition,  swords 
and  small  arms.  A  Russian  casque  here  is  awkward  and  formal 
looking,  but  in  a  way  picturesque,  with  its  pointed  top  com- 
ing out  stiff  and  rigid;  a  Spanish  rondache,  or  round  buckler,  or 
shield,  has  a  point  similar  to  this  casque.  It  is  of  the  second  half 
of  the  XVI.  century,  and  there  are  many  spears  or  battle  pikes  in 
a  variety  of  shapes,  clumsy  enough  looking  to  modern  eyes,  but 
quite  capable  of  doing  much  service.  These  are  Italian,  Swiss, 
French,  German  and  English.  In  the  same  case  is  a  suit  of  chain 
mail  of  the  XV.  century  and  an  Oriental  circular  shield,  with  hel- 
mets from  Spain  and  France.  A  complete  set  of  French  armor, 
breastplate,  backplate,  gorget,  arm  guards  and  cuisses,  or  thigh 
coverings,  should  be  examined,  for  it  is  perfect  in  its  way  and 


164  ARMS    AND    ARMOR 

i 

gives  an  excellent  idea  of  the  protection  men  wore  in  those  times 
against  the  enemy. 

Many  of  the  swords  are  not  only  curious  to  look  at  and  artistic 
in  shape,  but  one  marvels  at  the  strength  of  the  warriors  who 
could  wield  such  unhandy  instruments.  The  average  man  of 
to-day  would  be  at  a  loss  to  utilize  such  weapons  and  it  would 
certainly  tax  his  strength  to  the  utmost  to  make  even  a  few 
passes  with  any  of  them,  not  to  mention  carrying  them  about 
through  any  extended  campaign.  But  if  this  assortment  of 
swords  seems  unavailable  for  ordinary  use  in  the  field  of  battle, 
what  shall  be  said  of  the  guns  and  bows  shown  in  these  cases? 
These  seem  positively  hopeless  for  damage,  under  any  circum- 
stances, save  to  the  user.  The  elaborate  preparation  that  must 
have  been  necessary  before  action  could  be  taken  would  seem  to 
have  been  ample  to  allow  the  intended  victim  not  only  to  escape, 
but  to  get  completely  out  of  sight  before  a  projectile  could  be  de- 
livered. It  may  have  been  that  the  people  of  those  times  moved 
with  more  deliberation,  or  that  the  users  were  more  active  ,than 
the  present  generation,  but  an  examination  will  only  tend  to 
make  the  visitor  wonder  at  the  cumbersomeness  of  such  arma- 
ment and  give  rise  to  pity  for  those  who  took  up  the  profession 
of  arms  in  those  days.  The  quaintness  of  some  of  these  is  re- 
markable. Look,  for  example,  at  a  windlass  crossbow,  with  its 
intricate  machinery,  its  cords  and  crank  for  winding  up  the 
mechanism  that  set  the  projectile  in  motion.  Or  note  again  the 
wheel-lock  gun.  Here  is  ponderous  mechanism,  indeed,  and  it  is 
as  awkward  as  could  possibly  be,  though  as  a  work  of  art,  in  the 
chasing  of  the  steel,  in  the  curious  inlaying  of  different  metals, 


ARMS    AND     ARMOR 


165 


COURT  SWORDS  AND    GUNS    OF  THE  i?TH  CENTURY. 

ivory  and  attractive  wood,  it  is  simply  exquisite.  Some  later 
guns  are  shown,  also  beautifully  ornamented  and  heavy  and  un- 
wieldy, esteemed  in  their  day  most  valuable,  doubtless,  for  war  of 
that  epoch,  and  the  protection  of  personal  property.  There  are 
some  so-called  pistols  of  this  period.  Moderns  would  doubtless 
allude  to  them  as  guns,  but,  as  in  the  country  of  the  blind  the 
one-eyed  are  kings,  so  in  these  times  of  heavy  guns,  a  smaller 
article  claimed  the  right  to  masquerade  under  the  name  of  pistol; 
and  thus  these  are  called. 

From  the  great,  heavy,  giantesque  sword  with  two  handles, 
called  a  "flamberge,"  through  the  list  of  smaller  weapons, 
down  to  the  Italian  stiletto  or  dagger,  there  is  an  almost  end- 
less lot  of  various  shaped  instruments  of  defense  and  at- 


166  ARMS    AND    ARMOR 

tack,  and  some  of  them  are  most  ingenious.  The  deli- 
cate instruments  made  for  the  fairer  sex,  are  beautifully  wrought 
out  in  ornamented  handles  and  effective  blades;  the  stealthier 
weapon- for  the  hand  of  the  assassin  is  a  marvel  of  the  steel-smith's 
art,  and  there  are  heavier  instruments  for  the  franker  soldier,  that 
somehow  seem  more  honest  in  their  way.  There  is  a  battle-axe 
here  with  a  war  hammer  on  the  business  end  of  it,  that  seems  very 
formidable.  A  large  number  of  these  are  Spanish,  though  there 
are  many  of  other  nationalities;  but  in  a  way,  this  race  seems  to 
have  left  its  imprint  on  the  war  implements  of  the  earlier  days, 
for  it  will  be  remembered  that  then  at  least,  Spain  was  a  factor  in 
the  wars  of  Europe.  The  battle-axes  here  take  on  curious  names 
according  to  the  countries  wherein  they  were  used,  and  though 
they  vary  in  shape  at  times,  the  difference  is  immaterial  Thus 
there  is  the  halberd,  the  spontoon,  the  partisan,  roncone, 
glaive,  gisarm  and  spetum,  but  in  the  end  they  are  battle-axes, 
or  pikes,  for  offense,  and,  perhaps,  defense  as  well,  and  they  have 
exercised  the  ingenuity  of  the  smithy  to  invent  new  shapes, 
curious  decorations  of  cords  and  tassels,  and  in  various  ways  to 
make  them  as  effective  and  as  gay  as  possible. 

When  it  comes  to  decoration,  however,  it  is  the  Japanese  that 
take  the  pas,  as  will  be  at  once  admitted  after  an  inspection  of 
several  cases  of  swords,  manufactured  by  this  wonderful  race. 
These  date  as  far  back  as  the  XIV.  century,  and  are  a  succession 
of  marvelous  designs  and  extraordinary  skill,  combined  with  ar- 
tistic invention.  They  are  in  steel  and  bronze,  decorated  with 
woods  of  rare  beauty,  ivory,  jewels,  precious  stones  and  metals. 
There  are  flowers,  birds,  animals  and  creeping  things  utilized  as 


ARMS    AND    ARMOR  167 

schemes  for  the  decoration  and  they  are  placed  on  hilt,  on  guard, 
and  on  the  scabbard,  in  a  wonderfully  attractive  manner,  most 
fascinating  to  look  at  and  seemingly  impossible  of  imitation,  save 
by  the  workers  of  the  same  race.  The  lacquer  work  in  these  is 
astonishing;  braided  whalebone,  corded  handles  and  dragons 
carved  out  of  metal  or  ivory,  are  arranged  in  the  most  ec- 
centric manner,  but  always  effective  and  highly  decorative. 
Each  piece  is  a  gem  in  its  way  and  was  the  result  of  the  most 
skilled  artisans,  famous  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  land 
in  their  times;  these  instruments  were  apparently  never  used 
for  anything  but  ceremonial  occasions,  for  it  is  impossible  to 
think  of  them  in  active  use  on  the  field  of  battle,  and  the  speci- 
mens are  as  perfect  now,  as  when  they  first  came  from  the  work- 
shops of  the  makers.  Nothing  could  be  more  delightful  than  a 
careful  inspection  of  these  beautiful  instruments,  which  are 
among  the  most  valued  possessions  here,  "and  with  which  must 
end  this  review  of  the  ancient  implements  of  war. 


ANTIQUE   ITALIAN 

FANS,  EMBROIDERIES  AND  TAPESTRIES. 

HE  Moses  Lazarus  collection  of  fans  is  con- 
tained in  Gallery  23,  and  is  the  gift  of  his 
daughter.  It  consists  of  work  mostly  French, 
either  painted  in  water  colors  or  embroid- 
ered in  attractive  patterns  of  fruits  and  flow- 
ers, and  the  most  elaborate  of  these  date 
from  the  reigns  of  the  various  Louises  of 
glorious  memories  in  affairs  of  worldly  ele- 
gance.   These  are  mostly  stick  fans,  a  fash- 
ion that  has  remained  in  vogue  for  several  centuries  in  Western 
Europe,  but  the  sizes  differ  as  much  as  do  the  designs  with 
which  they  are  ornamented.     The   origin   of  the  fan  is  lost 


FANS,     EMBROIDERIES    AND    TAPESTRIES  169 

in  the  obscurity  of  the  ages,  though  the  common  palm  leaf 
is  generally  supposed  to  be  the  oldest  form  of  the  implement, 
and  for  practical  uses  it  still  is  unsurpassed,  and  China  is  popular- 
ly credited  with  being  the  fatherland  of  fans,  for  there  it  is  a  part 
of  a  man's  outfit  as  much  as  his  boots  or  handkerchief.  Various 
things  have  been  utilized  in  the  manufacture  of  the  article,  and 
have  served  as  a  means  of  agitating  the  air.  Birds'  wings,  large 
leaves,  wood,  ivory,  silk,  shells,  feathers,  skins  and  even  horses' 
tails  have  been  called  into  requisition;  and  these  have  been  dec- 
orated, set  with  jewels  and  generally  made  attractive,  serving  as 
much  for  display  as  for  practical  use,  for  in  the  hands  of  women 
entirely  tactful  the  fan  is  far  mightier  than  the  sword. 

Here,  however,  these  fans  may  be  seen  in  two  four- winged 
cases,  where  both  sides  can  be  examined;  and  all  are  selected  with 
great  care.  At  the  classical  period  in  the  reign  of  Louis  XIV. 
when  the  great  world  gave  itself  over  to  thoughts  of  the  heroes 
of  antiquity,  the  fans  reflected  the  general  trend  of  public  senti- 
ment, and  here  may  be  seen  stilted  compositions  of  Greek  and 
Roman  warriors,  pompous  in  theatrical  poses,  receiving  the 
adulation  of  womankind,  or  dashing  into  sylvan  retreats,  fol- 
lowed by  a  bevy  of  admiring  beauties.  These  intrepid  fighters 
are  being  received  into  Olympus,  or  are  entertained  by  god- 
desses, of  whom  Venus  is  the  principal  hostess. 

The  mode  of  Watteau's  compositions  found  great  favor  with 
these  fashionable  Gauls,  and  one  may  see  here  country  maids  of 
rare,  not  to  say  delicate,  beauty  fishing,  harvesting,  or  given  over 
to  sylvan  sports,  attendant  cavaliers  meanwhile  making  them- 
selves highly  agreeable.  The  sticks  are  mainly  ivory,  though 


170  FANS,     EMBROIDERIES    AND    TAPESVRIES 

wood,  mother  of  pearl  and  shell  are  used.  One  modest  little 
carved  ivory  affair,  very  small  and  utterly  useless  for  anything 
but  decorative  purposes,  was  formerly  the  property  of  Marie  An- 
toinette. It  is  elaborately  cut  in  lace-like  figures,  and  nothing 
more  fragile  could  be  imagined.  But  the  painted  fans  are  the 
more  alluring,  with  their  many  colors  and  exquisite  miniature 
work,  which  in  most  cases  is  carried  to  the  greatest  detail,  some 
of  the  figure  compositions  being  positive  works  of  art,  employing 
the  talents  of  famous  painters  of  the  time.  Of  the  First  Empire, 
three  little  horn  affairs  are  quaint.  They  are  beautifully  inlaid 
and  carved,  and  one  has  besides  pictures  a  vinaigrette  at  the 
pivot  ingeniously  placed. 

Some  Dutch  fans  are  a  trifle  more  sturdy  looking  than  the 
French  affairs,  and  are  plainer  on  one  side,  at  least,  with  more 
of  an  air  of  utility  as  befitting  the  character  of  the  race,  while  the 
Italian  article  is  more  generous  as  to  proportion,  and  perhaps 
more  solidly  decorative.  Note  one  of  the  Italian  Renaissance  of 
the  sixteenth  century,  the  subject  being  "The  Judgment  of 
Paris"  (54).  The  figures  are  naive  in  drawing  and  conception, 
but  beautifully  composed  and  most  harmonious  in  color,  and  it  is 
seriously  considered  in  every  way.  Possibly  time  has  mellowed 
the  tones  somewhat,  but  whatever  the  reason  it  is  beautiful. 
Beside  it  is  a  dainty  little  fan  of  enamelled  ivory,  representing  the 
"Toilet  of  Venus,"  while  beneath,  a  classical  subject,  though  less 
attractive,  is  quaint.  Still  another  (56),  of  "Sheep  Shearers,"  is 
highly  entertaining,  and  it  has  lacquered  panels  on  the  pearl 
sticks. 

If  the  Russian  fans  here  lack  novelty  and  invention  it  may  be 


SCENE   FROM   THE  LIFE  OF   ANTONY  AND   CLEOPATRA. 


172  FANS,     EMBROIDERIES    AND    TAPESTRIES 

offered  in  extenuation  that  the  climate  of  that  country  does  not 
offer  much  inducement  for  the  manufacture  of  an  article  pre- 
sumably for  cooling  purposes.  In  the  example  54  there  is  much 
gold  ornamentation  with  a  single  figure.  A  Persian  fan  is  of  paint- 
ed wood  with  inscriptions,  and  is  kept  in  sober  colors,  like  the 
decorations  of  a  mosque,  in  figures  more  or  less  formal  and  geo- 
metric. The  Spanish  or  Mexican  affairs  of  the  early  part  of  this 
century  are  gorgeous,  both  in  color,  carving  and  the  elaboration 
of  the  design.  There  are  panels  painted,  and  in  some  cases  cut 
out,  an  intermingling  of  lace  work,  with  much  gold  and  filigree. 
Indeed,  these  fans  give  in  a  way  racial  characteristics,  and 
though  never  a  profound  article  of  manufacture,  the  general  na- 
tional traits  seem  somehow  to  prevail  in  the  love  of  color,  the 
delicacy  or  showiness,  the  size  or  the  style,  and  not  infrequently 
the  visitor  will  at  once  place  the  fan  before  remarking  its  inscrip- 
tion. 

Of  course  in  the  matter  of  dexterity  the  Orientals,  working 
for  daintiness  and  elaboration,  easily  distance  the  others.  Gold 
and  silver  filigree  here  is  simply  marvellous.  It  is  incredible  how 
these  minute  lines  and  threads  of  metal  could  ever  be  arranged 
according  to  preconceived  plan  and  kept  in  place,  for  in  some 
cases  the  strands  are  as  delicate  almost  as  the  human  hair.  Note 
the  work  in  one  numbered  71,  modern  Chinese.  The  sticks  are 
microscopic  almost  in  their  traceries,  and  the  embroideries  of 
figures  and  scroll  wrork  are  no  less  finished.  One  underneath  (72) 
is  less  elaborate,  though  no  less  beautiful.  There  are  three 
above,  one  of  silver  filigree,  another  of  silver  gilt  and  a  third 
carved  out  of  ivory,  with  still  another  of  this  same  material  in  cir- 


FANS,     EMBROIDERIES    AND    TAPESTRIES  173 

cular  form,  with  sandalwood  handle.  All  are  very  dainty  and  in 
the  highest  style  of  their  respective  kinds  of  art  work. 

Possibly  the  most  unique  fan  here  is  one  of  tortoise  shell,  ex- 
quisitely carved,  circular  in  shape,  very  small  and  having  a 
lorgnette  for  a  centre  piece.  It  is  o-f  Louis  XVI.  period,  and, 
while  called  a  fan,  it  is  as  little  adapted  to  the  generally  accepted 
use  for  that  article  as  it  is  possible  to  imagine.  All  these  fans,  it 
may  be  added,  are  in  absolutely  perfect  condition,  and  are  so  dis- 
played as  to  be  seen  from  both  sides,  so  that  the  visitor  may  ex- 
amine most  carefully  all  the  construction,  the  decoration  and 
generally  inform  himself  as  to  the  workmanship. 

The  embroideries  in  the  Museum  are  of  the  finest  kind,  per- 
fectly preserved  and  arranged  in  rare  good  taste  for  easy  inspec- 
tion, and  many  of  them  are  loaned  by  James  A.  Garland,  whose 
tastes  as  a  collector  are  of  the  first  order.  The  various  pieces 
should  be  looked  at  carefully,  and  the  tablets  will  give  an  idea  of 
the  time  and  place  of  making.  In  cases  i  to  7.  in  gallery  23,  a 
Spanish  altar  frontal,  embroidered  in  gold  bullion  on  red  velvet, 
is  sumptuous.  It  is  of  the  XVII  century,  and  is  elaborately 
adorned  with  emblematic  figures  and  symbols  of  the  Christian 
religion.  It  is  highly  decorative  and  impressive  in  its  complete- 
ness. There  is  another  cloth  to  the  left  of  this,  designed  for  the 
same  purpose,  with  applique  work  in  soft,  tender  tones  of  yellow, 
blue  and  green,  of  date  a  century  later.  Some  Spanish  embroid- 
ered velvet  is  here,  and  an  altar  frontal  of  the  XVIII.  century 
in  heavy  yellow  thread,  with  flowers  in  colors  scattered  about 
here  and  there.  Still  another  is  on  white  satin,  with  fruits  and 
flowers  in  colors,  a  perfect  harmony  in  tone  and  most  dainty, 


174  FANS,     EMBROIDERIES    AND    TAPESTRIES 


ANTIQUE   ITALIAN   I,ACE. 

while  underneath  a  XVII.  century  Spanish  altar  frontal,  with 
figures  raised  in  gold  and  colors,  marks  a  high  achievement  of 
these  artistic  workers. 

In  the  centre  of  this  same  case  is  an  interesting  piece  of  Gothic 
Renaissance  tapestry,  of  Flemish  make,  of  the  XVI.  century, 
woven  with  gold  and  representing  the  descent  from  the  cross, 
with  a  naive  figure  of  the  Saviour  in  the  centre  supported  by  the 
two  Marys.  It  is  a  primitive  composition  of  touching  seriousness, 
the  details  of  which  are  admirably  carried  out.  That  the  women 
in  the  groups  are  garbed  in  the  flowing,  mediaeval  costumes  of 
Flanders  detracts  in  nowise  from  the  beauty  or  sentiment  of  the 
picture,  for  picture  it  is,  in  its  color  and  composition,  though  the 


FANS,    EMBROIDERIES    AND    TAPESTRIES  175 

production  of  the  loom.  It  has  a  border  of  green  and  red,  of 
flowers  and  leaves.  In  the  centre  of  case  8-13  there  is  a  framed 
piece  of  old  German  needlework  of  the  XVI.  century,  represent- 
ing a  naive  composition,  the  subject  not  stated.  A  king  sits  upon 
a  throne  and  many  figures  attend  him,  a  little  negro  child  pulls 
back  a  curtain  and  a  formal  garden  is  seen  behind.  Some  superb 
Italian  dalmatiques,  or  copes,  in  red  and  brown  velvet  and  gold 
are  here  of  XVII.  century  work.  Spanish  embroidered  velvet, 
XVII.  century,  completely  fills  case  14-20,  and  all  the  pieces  are 
fresh  in  color  and  perfect  in  preservation.  Nothing  finer  of  its 
kind  is  here.  The  decorations  are  in  scrolls  and  interesting  raised 
figues,  worked  with  infinite  dexterity. 

More  old  German  needlework  in  cases  21-26  is  framed  in  a  long 
panel;  various  scenes  are  here  ingeniously  worked  out,  and  at 
times  are  absurd  in  the  quaintness  of  the  drawing  and  the  primi- 
tive arrangement  of  the  figures.  These  are  eyes  wherein  the 
whites  are  so  prominent  as  to  give  them  a  weird  effect.  There 
are  still  more  altar  frontals  from  Spain,  one  particularly  fine  in 
green  and  gold,  and  some  of  French  workmanship,  with  effective 
scrolls  and  figures,  worked  in  colors.  In  the  centre  is  a  Russian 
tapestry,  by  Roudet,  made  in  St.  Petersburg  in  1770.  It  is  a  por- 
trait figure  of  a  woman  in  blue  evening  dress,  fur  collar  and  pow- 
dered hair,  and  it  is  very  beautiful,  being  modelled  like  a  picture. 

In  the  Coles  Gallery  (8)  in  the  south  side  are  cases  contain- 
ing many  specimens  of  Japanese  silk  fabrics  of  great  beauty  and 
rarity,  presented  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  H.  O.  Havemeyer,  unclassi- 
fied by  catalogue,  but  arranged  in  proper  groups ;  and  there  are 
two  revolving  cases  as  well.  On  the  north  side  are  cases  of 


176  FANS,    EMBROIDERIES    AND    TAPESTRIES 

Chinese  embroideries,  gorgeous  in  colors,  in  gold  and  silver 
threads.  The  wall  tapestries  of  this  room  are  particularly  fine, 
and  are  among  the  best  owned  in  this  country.  A  superb  Gobe- 
lin, a  portrait  of  Catharine  of  Russia,  is  framed  on  the  west  end 
of  the  north  wall.  The  queen  is  represented  standing  in  front  of 
the  throne;  the  modelling  and  coloring  are  lifelike  and  a  marvel 
of  the  loom.  Many  of  these  pieces  are  toned  down  materially 
since  their  manufacture,  in  some  cases  being  improved  by  the 
absence  of  the  cruder  notes  which  must  at  first  have  been 
noticeable.  Besides  the  Catharine,  there  are  works  from  the 
Beauvais  manufactory,  at  Lille,  in  the  XVIII.  century,  and 
Roman  tapestries,  by  P.  Ferloni,  dated  1739,  representing  scenes 
from  Tasso's  "Jerusalem  Delivered,"  of  which  there  are  five.  On 
the  other  wall  there  are  others,  formerly  the  property  of  the  Bar- 
berine  family,  and  later  of  King  Ludwig,  of  Bavaria,  representing 
incidents  in  the  life  of  Cleopatra.  A  French  tapestry  represent- 
ing "Commerce"  comes  from  Mrs.  R.  W.  Chanler,  the  rest  be- 
longing to  the  Coles  collection. 

On  the  south  wall  of  gallery  4,  which  is  the  gallery  around  the 
main  hall,  are  three  very  beautiful  tapestries,  loaned  by  Miss 
Breese,  Gobelin  work  o>f  the  last  century,  representing  the  rape  of 
the  Sabine  women;  the  intervention  of  the  Sabine  women  in  the 
battle  between  their  fathers  and  brothers  (Sabines)  on  one  side, 
and  their  husbands  (Romans)  on  the  other,  and  the  peaceful  and 
triumphant  return  to-  Rome.  Here  are  also  a  Beauvais  tapestry 
representing  a  Dutch  rnerrymaking,  loaned  by  Mr.  Barlow;  a 
Spanish  piece  of  a  garden  entertainment,  from  Dr.  and  Miss 
Sayre,  and  an  Italian  tapestry,  loaned  by  Mr.  Rhinelander,  the 


FAN  :    VERNIS  MARTIN,   TIME  OK  LOUIS  XV. 


OBVERSE  VIEW,    BEIySHAZZA'S   FEAST. 


178  FANS,    EMBROIDERIES    AND    TAPESTRIES 

subject  being  Moses  bringing  water  from  the  rock.  A  study  of 
these  tapestries  becomes  most  interesting  after  a  little  familiarity 
with  the  process  and  the  difficulties  overcome  in  their  manufac- 
ture. The  art,  an  extremely  ancient  one,  was  revived  by  the 
Saracens,  taken  up  by  the  Flemish,  introduced  into  France  by 
Henry  IV.;  and  from  Raphael  down  many  great  artists  have 
made  cartoons  to  serve  as  copies  for  tapestry  workers.  The  Gobe- 
lin works  are  the  most  famous  of  all  the  establishments,  and 
these  are  still  continued  by  the  French  government,  where  one 
hundred  and  twenty  artist  artisans  are  employed.  Since  1791 
no>ne  has  been  sold,  the  output  being  reserved  as  presents  to  for- 
eign courts,  or  for  the  decoration  of  municipal  and  State  build- 
ings. Many  of  the  pieces  take  years  to  make,  and  cost  in  time 
and  labor  almost  fabulous  sums. 


4, 


ANCIENT   COINS. 

GOLD  AND  SILVER  ROOM. 

NE  of  the  most  interesting  galleries  in  the 
^useum  is  number  22,  known  as  the  Gold 
and  Silver  Room.    It  contains  much  of  the 
jeweller's  art,  both  modern  and  ancient,  and 
!one  may  study  the  workings  of  the  skilled 
artisans  through  the  ages,  from  the  earliest 
smiths  known,  to  the  latest  offerings  of  New 
York   fashionable   artificers;   all   these   are 
worthy  of  close  attention,  artistic  in  render- 
ing, and  in  most  cases  are  almost  beyond  computation,  as  far 
as  the  financial  value  is  concerned.     The  arrangement  is  a 
little  confusing,  for  the  art  of  the  ancient  Egyptian  and  the  As- 


i8o  GOIyD    AND    SILVER    ROOM 

syrian  is  side  by  side  with  the  more  modern  French,  or  American, 
and  one  jumps  from  engraved  gems  to  war  medals,  from  early 
English  loving  cups  to  quaint  altar  pieces,  with  startling  sudden- 
ness, at  times  a  trifle  disconcerting.  But  the  gallery  is  rich  in  its 
many  beautiful  objects,  delicate  at  times,  massively  sumptuous 
at  others,  or  regal  in  the  profusion  of  the  expensive  metal, 
wherein  masses  of  the  pure  gold  are  wrought  out  into  bracelets 
or  rings,  heavy,  solid  and  of  a  yellowness  that  betokens  little 
alloy  and  almost  naught  but  the  precious  material  as  it  came 
from  the  earth. 

Under  these  circumstances  it  will  be  well  to  follow  the  various 
cases  in  regular  order,  examine  their  contents  in  passing,  and 
pick  o>ut  the  main  objects;  though  the  visitor  will  doubtless  find 
many  things  unrecorded  here,  full  of  interest  and  well  worth 
careful  study.  Turning  to  the  right  on  entering  there  is  an 
enormous  candelabra  in  silver.  It  is  one  of  a  pair  that  flank  the 
door.  T  hey  were  bequeathed  by  Mrs.  Osgood,  are  of  solid  metal, 
of  modern  make  and  weigh  six  hundred  pounds  each.  The  deco- 
rations on  them  are  very  elaborate,  and  make  them  attractive  in 
their  loveliness.  In  the  first  case  are  some  exquisite  Battersea 
enamels,  from  Mr.  Marquand,  consisting  of  snuff  boxes  and 
vinaigrettes,  and  they  are  unique  as  delicate  work.  Above  them 
is  an  Italian  altar  piece,  or  pax,  of  silver  gilt,  studded  with  pre- 
cious stones,  dating  back  to  the  XVI.  century.  It  is  enamelled 
in  many  colors,  blue  predominating,  and  contains  figures  of  saints 
in  adoration.  The  mediaeval  oddness  of  the  work  finds  no  coun- 
terpart in  modern  efforts  and  is  quite  unique.  There  may  be 
noted  in  the  next  case  some  English  specimens  of  the  silver- 


GOIyD    AND    SILVER    ROOM  181 

smith's  art,  in  the  shape  of  a  massive  rosewater  dish,  of  date  1668, 
embellished  with  raised  figures  representing  the  chase,  flowers 
and  leaves;  some  cups  and  dishes  of  the  reign  of  George  II.  like- 
wise massive  and  solid;  a  pair  of  cups  of  organic  product, 
mounted  in  silver,  the  gift  of  Mr.  Avery,  and  some  modern  work 
by  Tiffany,  also  in  silver,  enamelled  and  highly  ornamented. 

A  case  of  original  war  medals  will  have  peculiar  interest  at  the 
present  time.  There  are  decorations  here,  as  well,  from  most  of 
the  European  countries  and  many  South  American  States,  and  a 
few  more  from  the  Far  East.  The  much  coveted  Victoria  Cross 
is  impressive  in  its  simplicity,  standing  as  it  does  for  all  that  is 
good  in  the  bravery  of  the  soldier,  and  bestowed  with  equal  jus- 
tice on  the  distinguished  officer,  or  the  humble  private  in  the 
ranks  of  the  British  army.  There  are  Indian  mutiny  medals  and 
various  awards  for  service  against  the  foes  of  England,  no  fewer 
than  sixty-eight  such  emblems  of  the  British  Empire  being  in  the 
collection.  Campaigns  in  China,  New  Zealand,  Africa,  India  and 
elsewhere  were  the  occasion  of  these  souvenirs,  and  there  is  also 
a  medal  for  Arctic  discovery,  and  one  of  the  Royal  Life  Saving 
Society,  as  well  as  an  Indian  Total  Abstinence  medal  and  other 
odd  decorations.  A  gorgeous  decoration  of  Pope  Gregory  XVI., 
with  massive  star  and  pendant,  adorned  with  brilliant  ribbon,  is 
impressive,  and  the  Turkish  stars  come  next  in  order  of  sump- 
tuousness.  Many  of  the  French  Legion  of  Honor  crosses  are 
here,  including  the  military  and  the  civil  designs.  They  are  not 
altogether  novelties,  for  the  wearers  are  many,  and,  as  Mark 
Twain  once  said,  few  Frenchmen  escape  them.  Still,  they  are 
artistic  looking  in  shape  and  color,  and  they  are  interesting. 


i82  GOIvD     AND     SILVER   ROOM 

Decorations  of  Isabella  the  Catholic,  William  of  Holland,  Gus- 
tavus  of  Sweden,  Otho  of  Greece  and  the  Red  Eagle  of  Prussia 
are  less  known — to  American  eyes  at  least.  American  medals 
are  fewer,  but  there  are  some  here  given  by  the  cities  of  New 
York,  and  Charleston,  S.  C.,  for  the  heroes  who  took  part  in  the 
war  against  Mexico,  and  there  are  New  York  Life  Saving  So- 
ciety medals. 

In  the  case  beneath  the  war  medals  are  seal  cylinders  and  other 
Oriental  seals,  to  the  extent  of  seven  hundred  or  more.  The 
majority  of  these  were  collected  by  Dr.  Ward,  partly  while  en- 
gaged in  an  expedition  to  Babylonia  and  partly  in  correspon- 
dence with  parties  in  the  East  since  1884-5.  The  original  sixty 
cylinders  forming  the  nucleus  of  the  collection  were  obtained  by 
General  Di  Cesnola  in  Cyprus.  The  oldest  form  of  a  seal  is  a 
cylinder,  and  is  the  only  archaic  form  known  in  the  Valley  of 
the  Euphrates.  It  is,  like  any  other  seal,  used  for  indicating 
ownership  or  authenticating  a  document.  The  designs  engraved 
thereon  are  mostly  mythological,  representing  the  gods,  their 
attendants  and  worshippers.  They  supply  sources  of  information 
as  to  the  earliest  religious  ideas  and  history  of  the  human  race. 
Some  of  these  give  the  owner's  name,  that  of  his  father  and  the 
god  he  worshipped.  They  came  into  use  as  early  as  4,000  years 
before  Christ,  and  continued  until  300  or  400  before  His  advent, 
when  the  cone  seal  took  their  places  in  the  Euphrates  Valley  and 
its  neighborhood.  Further  west,  however,  the  cylinder  lingered 
for  some  centuries  longer,  and  was  not  entirely  displaced  until 
three  or  four  centuries  after  the  Christian  era.  Many  of  these 
seals  belonged  to  Kings,  and  every  gentleman  had  one.  A  few 


GOLD    AND    SILVER    ROOM  183 

come  from  Persia,  Asia  Minor,  Syria,  Palestine  and  Egypt.  The 
first  cylinders  were  presumably  made  of  reed;  then  came  shell 
and  black  serpentine,  agate,  lapis  lazuli  and  quartz  crystal,  with 
other  material.  The  tools  with  which  these  were  first  made  are 
still  much  in  doubt,  but  the  use  of  later  implements  may  be  seen 
here  and  their  construction  definitely  placed.  With  each 
cylinder  is  an  impression  taken  on  gutta  percha  and  gilded,  to 
make  a  better  distinction  of  light  and  shade,  and  there  is  material 
for  careful  inspection,  although  it  is  impossible  here  to  specify 
particular  examples.  The  examples  should  be  examined  with 
the  Museum's  special  catalogue,  which  gives  in  great  detail  the 
periods  and  the  significance  of  the  inscription  and  the  peculiar 
figures. 

There  may  be  remarked  three  superb  swords,  presented  to 
Major  General  John  E.  Wool,  U.  S.  A.,  in  commemoration  of 
his  services  in  the  Mexican  war,  in  a  case  by  themselves.  One 
was  given  by  Congress,  another  by  the  State  of  New  York,  and 
a  third,  very  massive  and  heavy,  by  the  Common  Council  and 
citizens  of  Troy,  N.  Y.  Silver  and  gold  ornaments  from  Iceland 
are  a  novelty  well  worth  examination.  These  are  loaned  by  Mme. 
Magnusson,  and  consist  of  necklaces,  clasps  and  belts,  bracelets 
and  a  medal,  with  spoons,  keyrings  and  buttons.  They  date  as 
far  back  as  the  seventh  century,  and  are  beautiful  pieces  of  the 
silversmith's  art.  Much  of  the  work  might  be  from  modern 
European  workshops  so  fine  is  it,  and  all  of  it  is  artistic  and  skil- 
fully wrought  out.  Among  the  other  objects  is  a  chain  of  gold 
and  silver,  said  to  have  belonged  to  Snorri  Sturluson,  the  great 
historian,  who  lived  in  the  thirteenth  century.  In  the  three  cases 


184  GOLD    AND    SILVER    ROOM 

in  which  these  Icelandic  objects  are  contained  there  are  many 
strange  devices,  quite  unlike  the  ornamentation  familiar  to  mod- 
ern eyes,  and  the  work  is  attractively  novel. 

A  little  case  of  ancient  Babylonian  gold  ornaments  contains 
earrings,  ringer  rings  and  an  Egyptian  necklace  of  beautiful  de- 
sign, all  in  perfect  condition.  Continuing  in  the  next  case  are  two 
collections.  The  first  is  of  ancient  Longobardic  gold  ornaments, 
consisting  of  buckles,  earrings  and  a  sword  tip  and  handle,  the 
latter  containing  the  encrusted  remains  of  the  metal  disinte- 
grated and  eaten  away  by  time,  but  the  gold  remains,  imperish- 
able^ what  there  is  of  it  being  in  a  perfect  state.  There  are  some 
ornaments  here  for  which  the  use  is  quite  unknown.  The  other 
collection  is  of  ancient  Etruscan  and  Roman  gold  jewelry,  mainly 
rings  and  earrings,  of  beautiful  design  and  practically  in  perfect 
condition.  There  are  enormous  signet  rings  here,  a  notable  one 
(106)  embossed,  with  onyx  intaglio,  and  others  of  quaint  stones 
or  chiselled  out  of  gold,  cut  in  many  shapes.  Many  silver  articles 
of  tableware  of  more  or  less  modern  make,  presented  by  Emelie 
Lazarus,  must  be  passed,  and  further  attention  given  to  the  next 
case  of  Roman  and  Etruscan  ornaments.  One  collection  is  of 
earrings,  and  there  are  styles  here  to  suit  even  the  alleged  capri- 
ciousness  of  the  sex,  for  the  objects  run  from  the  daintiest  of  es- 
sentially feminine  ear  ornaments  to  enormous  embossed  decora- 
tions that  could  be  worn  only  by  some  warrior  of  stalwart  build 
and  heavy  figure.  But  the  designs  are  mostly  all  beautiful,  and 
many  are  of  remarkable  invention.  In  an  upper  case  there  are 
more  things  of  the  same  period,  notable  among  them  being  three 
funeral  wreaths,  wrought  out  of  gold,  large  affairs,  realistic,  and 


GOLD    AND    SILVER    ROOM  185 

surely  striking  when  crowning  the  head  of  some  dead  patrician. 
There  are  beautiful  necklaces  here,  some  of  them  handsomely 
enamelled,  and  pins  such  as  the  women  haggle  over  at  bargain 
counters  in  the  XIX.  century,  though  these  pins  are  of  remote 
dates;  and  there  are  chains  and  wild  boars'  tusks,  mounted  in 
gold. 

A  small  case  in  the  corner  contains  one  of  the  best  and  rarest 
things  in  the  collection  of  ancient  jewelry,  which  is  a  gold  neck- 
lace and  earrings  found  in  Asia  Minor,  specimens  of  ancient 
Greek  work  unexcelled.  There  are  many  other  dainty  objects 
here,  with  some  fragments  from  the  jeweller's  workbench  in  the 
way  of  gold  wire  for  filigree  and  thin  plates  of  the  metal.  In  the 
case  above  are  some  Egyptian  scarabs  in  modern  settings;  a  col- 
lection of  watches,  shoe  buckles  and  snuff  boxes,  and  many  en- 
graved gems,  while  in  the  case  alongside  are  many  objects  of 
rarity,  from  a  carved  mother  of  pearl  box  to  an  enamelled  Rus- 
sian cigar  case,  and  there  are  more  Russian  articles  alongside,  in- 
cluding a  curious  knife,  fork  and  spoon,  with  enamel  of  blue. 

The  remarkable  collection  of  engraved  gems,  one  brought 
together  by  General  Di  Cesnola,  the  other  by  C.  W.  King,  are  not 
only  very  beautiful,  but,  of  course,  highly  valuable.  The  latter 
was  presented  to  the  Museum  by  its  president,  John  Taylor  John- 
son, in  1 88 1.  There  are  331  of  them,  all  ancient.  Over  two-thirds 
are  Greek  and  Roman,  the  latter  outnumbering  the  former. 
There  are  examples  of  Assyrian,  Phoenician,  Etruscan,  Persian, 
Indian  and  Christian,  and  one  Chinese  seal,  with  also  a  few 
imitations  of  modern  manufacture.  The  cutting  of  these  hard 
substances  is  attended  with  great  labor,  and  though  handicapped 


i86  GOIvD    AND    SILVER    ROOM 

with  more  or  less  rude  instruments,  the  first  of  the  workers  man- 
aged to  make  perfect  cuttings  as  far  as  the  mechanical  part  of  the 
labor  was  concerned,  though  from  their  lack  of  artistic  knowl- 
edge the  results  were  by  no  means  expressive.  With  flint  and 
wood  much  was  done  that  is  incomprehensible  to  the  modern 
workers.  The  Greeks  and  Etruscans  substituted  emery  stone 
and  copper,  using  a  drill,  and  turned  out  their  most  finished 
works. 

The  genuine  antique  gems  are  distinguished  for  the  simplicity 
of  design  and  the  absence  of  all  attempts  at  pictorial  effect, 
and  by  the  absence  also  of  pictorial  history  of  the  time  when  they 
were  engraved.  The  engravers  of  the  sixteenth  century  en- 
deavored to  obviate  this  and  many  forgeries  ensued.  The  ear- 
liest gems  found  in  Italy  are  scarabei,  with  figures  of  animals, 
bulls  and  cows  predominating.  Romans,  from  the  time  of 
Augustus,  sealed  with  their  own  portraits.  But  an  introduc- 
tion to  the  catalogue  of  gems  will  give  a  comprehensive  idea  of 
the  history  of  the  workers,  and  will  enable  the  visitor  to  better 
appreciate  this  collection. 

Continuing  along  the  second  half  of  Gallery  22,  a  small  case 
containing  some  enamelled  snuffboxes  and  silver  repousse  work, 
is  attractive,  but  the  eye  is  caught  by  a  large  collection  alongside 
of  similar  articles,  and  in  addition  many  beautiful  watches,  dating 
back  to  an  early  period  in  the  history  of  the  watchmaker's  art. 
The  greater  part  of  these  are  in  gold  or  silver  cases,  beautifully 
decorated  with  jewels,  paintings  or  enamel,  and  there  is  one 
dainty  arrangement  in  the  shape  of  a  lute.  From  tiny  little  time- 
pieces to  great,  cumbersome  affairs,  round,  square  and  oval,  one 


GOLD    AND    SILVER    ROOM  187 

may  study  the  curious  tastes,  invention  and  ingenuity  of  the 
makers.  Here  are  watches  flat  as  the  traditional  pancake,  where- 
in it  seems  impossible  the  mechanism  could  run;  watches  with  a 
complete  astronomical  outfit,  or  with  days  of  the  month  and 
week;  and  the  cases  are  in  gold,  silver,  iron  and  steel.  The  snuff- 
boxes here  likewise  combine  many  varieties,  some  in  blue  enamel, 
with  painted  medallions,  being  attractive.  There  are  vinai- 
grettes in  silver  and  in  painted  china,  and  one  curiously  carved 
out  of  agate. 

A  corner  case  contains  necklaces  of  gold  and  precious  stones 
from  Curium,  Cyprus,  and  is  part  of  the  Di  Cesnola  collection. 
Some  are  of  delicate  beauty,  others  have  a  barbaric  appearance, 
with  their  heaviness  of  stones  and  metal.  All  are  in  almost  per- 
fect condition.  Larger  ornaments  in  heavy,  yellow  gold  are  in  a 
case  above,  with  the  heads  of  animals  hammered  out  in  attractive 
shapes.  There  are  a  number  of  metal  buttons,  pins  and  pendant 
necklaces.  Then  follow  earrings  in  many  designs,  all  from  Cy- 
prus, and  these  embrace  an  almost  infinite  variety  of  styles,  from 
delicate  threads  of  gold  to  suggestions  of  fruits,  flowers  and  ani- 
mals. Many  of  them  are  set  with  stones,  and  nearly  all  are  well 
preserved. 

Three  cases  of  spoons  embrace  all  styles  of  the  silversmith's 
art.  This  collection  was  made  by  Mrs.  S.  P.  Avery,  and  was  pre- 
sented to  the  Museum  last  year.  Here  are  spoons  of  horn  and 
shell  and  some  with  coral  handles;  others  are  in  glass  and  wood 
and  carved  ivory,  and  there  is  one  quaint  specimen  in  brilliant 
green  and  blue  enamel.  The  oldest  spoon  here  is  Roman,  of  the 
early  Christian  period,  with  an  inscription  in  the  bowl  and  a 


i88  GOLD    AND    SILVER    ROOM 

pointed  handle,  much  like  a  needle.  There  are  some  quaint 
leather  cases  for  holding  these  spoons,  painted  and  tooled  in  gold 
line,  and  there  is  much  repousse  work  in  artistic  designs.  So 
many  are  the  shapes  that  there  seems  to  be  little  left  for  the 
modern  jeweller  to  invent.  Some  very  attractive  things  in  the 
way  of  sugar  sifting  spoons  should  be  looked  at  among  others. 
Altogether  there  are  something  over  three  hundred  spoons. 

Very  interesting  cases  of  the  Di  Cesnola  Cypress  collection  fol- 
low, mostly  of  gold,  although  there  are  a  few  rock  crystal  and 
glass  objects.  There  is  a  sceptre  head  here,  for  example,  cut  out 
of  agate,  and  another  in  bronze  of  three  bulls'  heads,  wherein 
were  at  one  time  jewels  for  eyes.  There  are  two,  a  bottle  in  per- 
fect state  of  preservation,  of  rock  crystal,  with  a  cover  or  stop- 
per, bound  with  gold,  a  seal  ring  in  glass  or  rock  crystal,  gems 
and  vases.  Gold  mortuary  ornaments  and  mouth  pieces  of  the 
same  metal  are  unique,  and  there  are  various  ornaments  of  cur- 
ious shapes,  for  which  it  is  difficult  at  times  to  determine  the  use. 
More  massive-looking  bracelets  here  have  a  sort  of  savage  splen- 
dor. The  silver  and  filled  gold  in  the  next  cases  are  no  less  inter- 
esting, but  by  no  means  as  showy,  and  these  are  followed  by  more 
cases  of  silver,  gray  with  age,  discolored  and  eaten  away  in  parts. 
There  are  fragments  of  silver  belts,  odds  and  ends  of  spoons,  a 
handle  missing  or  part  of  a  bowl  cracked  off,  but  of  profound  in- 
terest, and  little  miniature  reproductions  of  vases,  jugs,  swords, 
and  there  is  the  impression  of  a  human  mouth,  possibly  part  of  a 
statue,  though  no  explanation  is  offered  on  the  tablet. 

The  final  three  cases  of  the  Di  Cesnola  collection  are  given  over 
to  silver  vessels.    There  are  vases,  saucers  and  bowls,  highly  in- 


ITALIAN   ALTAR-PIECE  OR   PAX. 


igo  GOLD    AND    SILVER    ROOM 

teresting,  though  not  a  few  of  them  are  in  a  state  of  decay,  but 
they  show  artistic  appreciation  of  form  and  line,  and  are  skilfully 
treated,  engraved,  embossed  and  wrought  out  in  many  curious 
and  attractive  shapes.  Some  are  in  an  Assyrian  manner,  others 
in  Egyptian,  while  some  have  Cypriote  inscriptions.  At  a  quick 
glance  one  might  readily  pass  the  next  and  last  cases  as  a  con- 
tinuation of  the  Cyprus  curiosities,  but  it  is  from  South  America 
that  these  quaint  specimens  come,  and  for  various  reasons  they 
should  be  carefully  studied.  Here  are  ancient  Peruvian  silver 
ornaments,  discs,  cups  and  vases,  with  crude  sculptural  decora- 
tions, archaic  heads  and  an  imperfect  casting  in  crude  silver  of  a 
human  sacrifice,  most  unusual.  There  is  also  of  a  silver  axe  from 
Sonora,  Mexico.  The  gold  case  underneath  contains  a  large, 
ancient  gold  plate  from  a  grave  in  Colombia,  South  America,  ear- 
rings and  buttons  with  some  chains  from  Panama,  and  other 
things. 

The  sword,  belt  and  sash  presented  to  the  late  General  W.  T. 
Sherman  by  citizens  of  New  York  are  in  a  case,  together  with 
testimonials  to  Cyrus  W.  Field  commemorating  the  laying  of  the 
Atlantic  cable.  General  Sherman's  sword  is  a  gorgeous  affair  in 
gold  and  enamel,  with  his  initials  in  diamonds.  It  is  surmount- 
ed with  laurel  leaves  and  an  eagle,  and  there  are  medallions  and 
figures.  The  Field  medals  from  the  government  and  the  Cham- 
bers of  Commerce  of  New  York  and  Liverpool  are  solid,  massive 
gold  affairs,  rather  inartistic  and  commonplace,  and  there  is 
a  gold  box  from  the  city  of  New  York  no  less  unattractive.  A 
pearl  and  gold  box  from  the  United  States  government  is  a  little 
better,  though  not  much,  and  an  illuminated  set  of  resolutions 


GOLD    AND    SILVER    ROOM  191 

from  Congress  with  its  thanks  to  Mr.  Field  completes  these  sou- 
venirs.   Three  war  medals  come  from  Mrs.  T.  F.  Meagher. 

A  really  beautiful  collection  of  boxes  and  etuis,  miniatures, 
watches  and  rings,  comes  from  the  daughters  of  Moses  Lazarus. 
Every  box  here  is  a  gem  in  its  way.  Many  are  beautifully 
enamelled  or  carved  in  agates  and  other  stones.  They  are  fash- 
ioned in  gold  at  times,  with  traceries  of  silver,  or  carved,  and  a 
number  contain  miniatures  on  their  lids,  daintily  painted,  either 
portraits  or  figure  subjects.  One  is  carved  out  of  ivory,  and 
another  is  made  from  horn  amber.  Still  another  has  gold  en- 
closed in  ivory  open  work.  Among  the  miniatures  is  work  by 
John  Wesley  Jarvis,  Joseph  Bordes,  Richard  Cosway  and  Rich- 
ard M.  Staigg,  N.  A.,  and  these  artists  depict  old-time  sitters 
with  large  collars,  quaint  dress  and  queer  arrangement  of  hair,  or 
in  the  red  uniform  of  the  British  ancestor,  handsome  of  face  and 
sturdy  of  figure.  There  is  a  large  portrait  on  ivory  of  the  Prin- 
cess di  Bentivoglio  by  Bordes,  and  one  of  Algernon  Percy  by 
Henry  Bone.  There  are  five  finger  rings  here  with  miniature 
portraits  thereon  of  Presidents  Van  Buren  and  Adams,  Nell 
Gwynne  and  Lord  and  Lady  Harrington.  The  watches  here  are 
few,  but  very  choice.  They  are  all  in  enamel,  with  pearls  and  dia- 
monds, enamels  and  miniatures.  One  has  as  elaborate  a  subject 
thereon  as  the  death  of  Cleopatra;  another  has  an  intricately  de- 
signed chatelaine.  Some  of  the  enamel  portraits  are  excellent, 
many  being  by  Zincke,  who  enjoyed  a  great  reputation  in  his  day. 
There  is  an  exquisite  little  portrait  in  bas-relief  of  Lafayette  car- 
ved in  ivory  and  mounted  on  a  piece  of  blue  silk,  framed  in  with 
rhinestones,  by  an  unknown  artist ;  an  old  ivory  panel,  "The  As- 


192  GOLD     AND    SILVER    ROOM 

sumption  of  Mary;"  an  ivory  medallion  of  four  heads  in  profile, 
and  still  another  panel  of  the  crucifixion  complete  the  carvings. 
More  miniatures  include  portraits  of  royalty — Louis  XVI  and 
Marie  Antoinette;  another  of  the  pair  with  the  Dauphin;  Charles 
Kemble,  Ariana  Calvert,  granddaughter  of  Lord  Baltimore,  and 
finally  a  Japanese  lacquer  portrait  in  gold  on  black,  artist  un- 
known, of  Christian  Wolff,  professor  at  Marburg. 

In  the  long  cases  in  the  centre  of  the  room,  beginning  at  the 
doorway  and  continuing  to  the  right,  is  a  group  of  gold  jewels 
and  ornaments  loaned  by  Tiffany  &  Co.  They  were  found  mostly 
on  the  site  of  the  ancient  panticapaeum  near  Kertsch,  Southern 
Russia.  They  are  Greek  antiquities  of  beautiful  design  and  ex- 
quisite workmanship.  A  splendid  collection  of  coins  will  appeal 
to  almost  every  visitor.  They  include  Greek  coins  B.  C.  525-130, 
found  in  Egypt;  Egyptian  coins,  Ptolemaic  period,  B.  C.  16-30, 
Roman  coins,  found  in  Egypt,  A.  D.  2-320,  these  last  in  gold; 
Byzantine,  A.  D.  337-695,  and  Cufic,  A.  D.  706-1 1 1 1.  Then  there 
are  Egyptian  coins  of  the  Roman  period  B.  C.  3O-A.  D.  93.  A 
break  occurs  here,  and  between  the  coin  collections  is  a  case  con- 
taining a  sword  and  belt  presented  to  the  late  Admiral  John  L. 
Worden  by  the  State  of  New  York,  together  with  several  books, 
bound  in  silver,  presented  by  S.  P.  Avery.  The  coins  that  follow 
are  of  various  periods,  principally  Egyptian  and  Roman  coins, 
made  at  Alexandria,  and  found  near  Asswan,  Egypt. 

The  upright  centre  cases  contain  mostly  silverware,  largely 
modern,  in  the  form  of  tankards,  teapots,  pitchers  and  table 
articles,  Tiffany  &  Co.  lending  a  good  deal  of  eighteenth  century 
work,  which  includes  some  openwork  cake  baskets,  tureens  and 


GOLD    AND    SILVER    ROOM  193 

loving  cups.  There  is  a  curious  Chinese  rock  crystal  statuette, 
with  a  pedestal  of  amethyst,  an  astonishing  piece  of  carving. 
There  are,  in  conclusion,  some  enormous  salvers  in  silver,  with 
shell  and  grapevine  border  of  beautiful  handiwork. 


PERUVIAN  POTTERY. 

AMERICAN  ANTIQUITIES. 

HAT  the  making  of  curious  potteries, 
quaint  embroideries  and  unusual  shapes  in 
various  articles  was  not  confined  to  Euro- 
pean workers,  may  be  readjly  discovered  by 
an  inspection  of  Gallery  29,  which  contains  a 
collection  of  American  antiquities  coming 
from  South  and  Central  America — mainly 
Peru  and  Mexico.  There  is  the  greatest 
amount  of  interest  in  these  various  arti- 


AMERICAN    ANTIQUITIES  195 

cles,  for  though  there  is  little  about  them  of  an  artistic  nature 
and  the  work  is  crude  and  archaic,  nevertheless,  historically  it 
opens  up  a  remarkable  field  for  speculation  and  investigation,  and 
the  visitor  cannot  fail  to  be  entertained  before  these  unusual 
efforts,  wrought  out  by  the  hands  of  races  of  which  so  little  is 
known. 

In  Cases  1-3  there  are  Peruvian  potteries,  consisting  of  var- 
ious vessels  and  idols.  One  of  the  latter  is  mainly  head  and  feet, 
but  such  head  and  such  feet  were  never  seen  before  or  since,  save 
in  the  drawings  of  some  uncanny  child  with  the  weirdest  imagi- 
nation. A  little  speck  of  a  nose,  bulging  eyes  and  absurd  mouth, 
make  the  figure  utterly  funny,  while  the  decoration  of  black 
stripes  increases  the  ludicrousness  of  the  conception.  It  is  diffi- 
cult to  imagine  even  the  most  childlike  of  races  of  savages  as 
being  impressed  with  this.  And  the  other  gods  are  no  less 
ridiculous  in  general  appearance.  Big  heads  and  small  bodies, 
or  the  reverse;  the  most  mirth-provoking  expressions  of  coun- 
tenance, outlandish  poses  and  a  general  air  of  misery,  pain 
and  discomfort,  are  the  distinguishing  features  of  these  deities, 
whom  the  early  American  races  worshipped.  It  is  impossible 
to  escape  a  suspicion  that  after  all  it  may  be  these  savages  did 
perhaps  have  a  sense  of  humor,  which  made  itself  felt  in  the 
sculptor's  art  mainly.  Take,  for  example,  two  figures  in  Case 
3,  one  above  the  other.  They  are  idols,  one  in  a  deep  red,  the 
other  in  lighter  tones.  The  former  has  a  head  and  body  as 
absurd  as  any  caricaturist  ever  invented,  beside  which  the 
more  modern  gargoyle  of  mediaeval  architecture  is  at  once 
beautiful  and  poetic.  The  figure  above  looks  like  an  exag- 


196  AMERICAN    ANTIQUITIES 

gerated  "Brownie."  Other  figures  are  fashioned  in  the  shapes 
of  frogs,  snakes,  fishes  and  birds,  with  now  and  then  an  animal 
no  less  distorted  than  the  representations  of  mankind  here 
shown.  A  few  of  the  pieces  of  pottery  are  in  conventional 
shapes,  and  many  have  heads  and  parts  of  bodies  much  like 
the  Tobies  from  which  the  colonial  Englishman  drank  his  ale. 
One  large  water  jug  here  is  distinguished  mainly  by  a  weird 
effigy  resembling  nothing  in  the  world  so  much  as  a  scared  cat, 
which  is  modelled  small  on  the  upper  half,  near  the  jug's  neck. 
The  colors  seem  to  have  been  evenly  divided  between  black 
and  red,  though  occasionally  there  is  a  piece  in  creamy  white. 
Most  of  the  pieces  in  this  case  may  be  said  to  be  in  more  or  less 
good  condition. 

Cases  4-9  contain  works  of  a  higher  grade,  showing  more 
imagination  on  the  part  of  the  workers  and  they  come  from 
South  and  Central  America.  Again  there  are  bowls  and  idols, 
but  these  are  better  in  shape  and  there  is  an  effort  at  intelligently 
planned  decorations.  There  may  be  noted  a  flat  jar  with  tracer- 
ies of  definite  forms;  some  scroll  work  on  another,  and  a  general 
more  pleasing  sense  of  form.  The  handle  of  one  vase  is  made  to 
take  the  shape  of  a  figure,  rudely  fashioned,  but  placed  with  a 
glimmering  reason  as  to  line  requirements,  and  a  black  jug  has 
panels  of  decorative  animals,  surmounted  with  a  head  fairly  well 
modelled.  So,  too,  there  is  what  might  be  a  conventionalized 
alligator  or  fish,  and  renderings  of  other  forms  of  interest.  One 
large  vase  is  ornamented  with  figures,  scroll  work  and  traceries, 
effectively  arranged,  and  there  are  some  open  work  designs  in  a 
few  of  the  pieces,  with  graceful  shapes  among  the  smaller  articles. 


ANTIQUITIES   FROM   PERU   AND  ECUADOR. 


198  AMERICAN     ANTIQUITIES 

A  unique  vase  with  three  feet  originally,  though  one  is  now  miss- 
ing, is  decorated  with  a  garland  and  has  figures  of  convention- 
alized alligators.  Another  has  a  quaint  head  at  the  neck,  with 
two  hands,  intended  as  handles.  Still  another  is  of  two  figures 
backing  one  against  the  other,  and  there  is  a  vessel  of  white,  with 
black  and  red  ornamental  figures.  An  absurd  conceit  is  a  vase 
with  black  figures  of  heads  and  bodies  separated  and  disjointed 
in  panels.  There  is  a  certain  curious  affinity  here  between  these 
workers  and  the  Egyptians,  as  will  be  remarked  by  comparing 
the  results  in  the  galleries  down  stairs  with  those  here.  This  is 
noticeable  in  the  flat  decorations,  particularly,  for  the  races  seem 
to  have  been  actuated  by  the  same  notions  of  color  and  line,  the 
simplest  and  rudest  suggestions,  to  be  sure ;  but  as  all  nature  was 
open  for  suggestion,  it  is  interesting  to  note  the  likeness  of  one 
to  the  other  and  to  wonder  that  other  forms  were  not  utilized. 

Ancient  Mexican  stone  sculptures  and  idols  occupy  two  sides 
of  the  room,  and  a  very  curious  collection  they  make.  They 
range  from  large  figures  and  heads  of  war  and  death  gods,  to  mi- 
nute little  conceits  of  heads  ingenious  in  their  grotesqueness. 
There  are  curious  faces  here,  with  head-dresses  of  unusual  ar- 
rangement, as  of  crowns,  and  these  have  the  most  smilingly 
beatific  expressions  possible  to  imagine.  Some  are  on  the  broad 
grin,  others  are  apparently  in  great  agony,  and  still  more  ex- 
press jocose  surprise.  One  is  at  a  loss  to  diagnose  the  ideas  the 
sculptors  meant  to  convey.  There  is  a  distinct  Oriental  cast  to 
the  features  carved  here,  and  in  no  case  is  there  any  touch  of 
classic  beauty  or  suspicion  of  regularity;  in  fact,  the  elements  of 
the  aesthetic  are  totally  missing.  The  nearest  approach  is  a  frag- 


AMERICAN    ANTIQUITIES  199 

ment  in  one  corner  of  Case  10,  of  a  woman's  head  and  shoulders, 
with  necklace.  This  was  once  in  polychrome,  though  little  color 
remains  now,  but  there  is  a  suspicion  of  something  femininely  at- 
tractive. An  idol  next  to  it  is  purely  original  in  its  horrible  ugli- 
ness, and  still  another  to  the  left  is  distorted  almost  beyond  the 
bounds  of  possibility.  Some  flat  masks  here  give  an  impression 
of  death  masks  pressed  out  of  shape,  though  their  significance  is 
not  stated. 

Idols  of  stone  follow,  and  their  grotesqueness  seems  to  in- 
crease. They  become  more  elaborate.  Note  one  numbered  429 
(few  have  any  numbers  at  all),  and  remark  the  astonishing  ex- 
pression of  the  face.  A  little  figure  seated,  to  the  right,  might 
have  come  from  the  banks  of  the  Nile,  it  is  so  Egyptian  in  feeling. 
In  Case  12,  a  reclining  figure  is  a  gem  of  ugliness  and  graceless- 
ness  in  its  way,  and  there  are  many  more  masks,  some  cut  out  of 
alabaster  and  marble.  Now  come  a  great  god,  with  his  tongue 
hanging  out  of  his  mouth,  gorgeous  as  to  head-dress,  and  two 
seated  gods  in  stone,  of  the  most  primitive  order,  the  little  heads 
continuing  meanwhile  in  the  section  above.  There  are  some 
architectural  pieces  of  building  stone;  one  carved  and  inscribed 
from  the  house  of  Cortez,  at  Cholulu;  an  ancient  Mexican  idol, 
with  Egyptian  head-dress,  and  some  fragments,  decayed  and 
eaten  by  the  elements. 

The  idols  in  Cases  17-25  are  larger  and  take  on  still  more  ugly 
aspects.  They  are  usually  of  stone.  One, which  seems  a  caricature 
of  the  Sphinx,  has  great  eyes,  mouth  and  claws,  while  another, 
with  a  more  human  aspect,  sits  with  folded  arms,  gazing  at  the 
spectator.  This  seated  attitude,  with  legs  apart,  much  after  the 


200  AMERICAN    ANTIQUITIES 

fashion  of  a  child  at  rest,  was  apparently  a  favorite  pose  with  the 
sculptor,  for  many  such  figures  are  here.  There  are  idols  here 
again  with  enormous  head-dresses  and  parts  of  figures  of  rude 
construction  with  conventionalized  animals.  Many  of  these 
were  originally  set  in  walls  of  buildings,  and  were  part  of  their 
massive  construction;  or  they  topped  some  elaborate  column, 
different  sections  of  the  country  turning  out  varying  fashions  of 
figures.  Ceremonial  structures  in  ancient  Mexico  were  filled 
with  such  work,  indicating  a  well  advanced  barbarism  from 
which  authorities  generally  deduce  that  had  the  nations  been 
left  alone  to  work  out  their  destiny  they  would  have  passed 
gradually  into  the  succeeding  stages  of  civilization  and  enlight- 
enment. 

In  Case  30,  various  articles  combine  to  make  up  an  attractive 
collection.  An  ancient  horn  spoon,  beads,  chains,  and  textiles 
from  Peru,  together  with  antiquities  from  graves,  are  curious; 
and  there  is  a  woman's  work  basket  of  a  bygone  period,  old  and 
quaint,  and  filled  with  such  material  as  women  use  to-day, 
fashioned  possibly  a  little  ruder,  but  having  the  same  general 
utility.  Two  human  heads,  dried  down  to  small  proportions,  but 
with  the  hair  yet  intact,  came  from  Ecuador,  and  are  horribly 
suggestive.  A  stone  axe  or  two  and  a  few  stone  implements  of 
war  and  agriculture  are  crude  and  rude  and  give  an  idea  of  the 
difficulties  attending  the  arts  and  sciences  of  those  days.  Fol- 
lowing are  more  idols,  and  a  few  heads  in  pottery  and  stone  com- 
plete the  room,  save  for  three  cases  in  the  middle,  which  contain 
fetiches  and  idols  of  an  aboriginal  sacred  worship  in  New  Mexico, 
obtained  from  various  tribes  and  pueblos  in  the  valley  of  the  Rio 


AMERICAN    ANTIQUITIES  201 

Grande.  These  are  the  rudest  and  most  elementary  sort  of 
carved  figures,  more  like  primitive  dolls  for  children  in  shape  than 
anything  else.  Ancient  Mexican  terra-cotta  whorls,  a  whistle  or 
two,  some  bone  implements  and  cylinders  and  stamps  for  print- 
ing, are  shown  here,  with  arrow  heads  and  stone  instruments, 
and  there  are  some  rather  fine  ancient  sculptural  fragments  from 
Honduras. 


HURDY  GURDY. 


FRANCE,   EIGHTEENTH  CENTURY. 


MUSICAL  INSTRUMENTS, 

HERE  hangs  in  the  case  numbered  27,  in 
Gallery  28,  among  the  splendid  Crosby- 
Brown  and  Drexel  collections,  a  pathetic 
looking  little  piece  of  bronze,  battered 
and  worn  by  time  and  by  the  elements, 
which,  except  to  the  classical  scholar  or 
the  specialist,  would  at  first  glance  have 
little  or  no  significance.  There  is  a  han- 
dle and  a  rim,  with,  instead  of  catgut 

strings,  three  straight  pieces  of  bronze  held  loosely  in  place. 

Other  than  this  there  is  nothing  to  convey  any  idea  of  its  use. 

Yet  this  modest  affair,  this  lone  invention  resurrected  from  some 


MUSICAL    INSTRUMENTS  203 

ancient  city's  site,  is  a  sistrum,  and  quite  the  earliest  form  of  mu- 
sical instrument  of  which  record  remains.  It  was  used  principally 
in  the  worship  of  Isis.  It  was  not  altogether  harmonious  or  ear 
tickling,  even  when  the  bronze  was  new,  when  the  invention 
wras  in  perfect  working  order  and  when  it  was  shaken  by  the  fair 
hand  of  some  vestal  virgin,  the  less  immaculate  fingers  of  a  sen- 
suous dancing  girl,  or  by  more  brazen  face  painted  courtesan,  for 
the  delectation  of  pleasure  seeking  Egyptian  prince  or  patrician 
Roman  youth.  But  here  it  is,  a  weedy  looking  wreck  of  its  for- 
mer gayety,  discolored,  hapless  and  silent. 

From  this  primitive  effort  to  produce  sound,  to  virginals, 
clavichords,  spinnets  and  perfect  pianofortes,  the  cry  is  a  far  one 
and  the  ingenuity  of  man  has  been  exercised  to  its  utmost.  He 
has  invented  many  methods,  devised  innumerable  shapes  and 
overcome  almost  insurmountable  obstacles,  until  to-day  there 
seems  to  be  little  left  to  suggest  in  the  way  of  securing  notes 
by  string,  wind  and  percussion  and  combining  them  in  harmony. 
The  visitor  here,  in  order  to  appreciate  the  variety,  beauty  and 
rarity  of  these  collections,  does  not  need  to  be  master  of  thor- 
oughbass, scales  or  composition.  He  may  even  dispense  with 
any  knowledge  of  music  whatsoever,  for  in  almost  every  instance 
the  instrument  has  qualities  appealing  by  reason  of  antiquity, 
decoration,  form  and  strangeness;  and  whether  one  lingers  before 
some  weird  war  drum,  made  from  human  skulls,  or  halts  before  a 
harp  of  enormous  size,  the  charm  is  potent,  and  to  study  care- 
fully is  to  desire  to  know  more,  for  these  wonderful  inventions 
of  the  brains  of  both  savage  and  civilized  races  possess  an  aston- 
ishing fascination. 


204  MUSICAL    INSTRUMENTS 

These  instruments  are  of  various  families,  and  though  they 
have  their  personal  differences  according  to  progress,  country 
and  race,  their  origin  is  almost  always  unmistakable.  Thus  the 
flute  family,  whose  birth  is  lost  in  antiquity,  all  have  traits  that  are 
recognizable  immediately.  The  Nay,  or  Egyptian  flute,  the  pipes 
of  the  Greeks,  the  flageolets  of  the  more  moderns,  and  even  the 
rude  instrument  played  by  the  cheerful  Fiji  Islander  with  his 
nose,  not  his  mouth,  are  all  alike  in  having  the  long  pikelike  form, 
with  holes  whereon  the  fingers  lingered  in  the  production  of  the 
sound,  though  the  modern  invention  of  the  Bavarian  Theobald 
Bohm  is  more  satisfying  to  the  developed  tastes  of  the  musician 
of  to-day.  Then  the  oboe  family,  originating  in  the  aulos,  or 
tibia,  of  the  ancient  Greeks,  with  a  double  vibrating  reed  as 
mouthpiece,  is  curious  in  the  changes  that  have  taken  place.  The 
bagpipes  have  differed  less,  and  many  of  them  may  be  seen  here 
in  various  cases.  In  Tarsus,  in  Asia  Minor,  there  have  been  ex- 
cavated ancient  terra-cottas,  believed  to  be  2,000  years  old, 
whereon  is  represented  a  syrinx,  with  bag  or  bellows,  which  is 
probably  the  oldest  representation  of  bagpipe  discovered. 
It  will  not,  in  all  probability,  add  materially  to  the  repu- 
tation of  the  somewhat  shady  Nero  to  know  that  he  favored  this 
instrument;  but  he  did,  and  unblushingly  indicated  his  prefer- 
ence. There  are  many  bagpipes  here,  mostly  from  France,  with 
bags  beautifully  embroidered  in  various  colors  on  silk,  and  there 
are  some  from  Scotland  and  Greece.  The  bagpipe,  by  the  way, 
has  been  described  as  the  organ  reduced  to  its  most  simple  ex- 
pression. 

Here   the   instruments    are    mostly   grouped    according    to 


KISSAR   (AFRICA). 


JAPANESE  MUSICAI,  INSTRUMENTS. 


206  MUSICAL    INSTRUMENTS. 

nationality,  an  arrangement,  all  things  considered,  that  could 
hardly  be  improved  upon,  and  thus  they  must  be  regarded.  China 
offers  an  interesting  and  an  ingeniously  made  collection,  with 
many  cymbals,  bells  and  drums,  musical  kites  even  finding  a 
place;  but  the  stringed  instruments  are  the  more  peculiar.  The 
latter  include  a  "scholar's  lute,"  the  oldest  form  of  Chinese 
musical  instrument,  and  some  semi-circular  violins,  a  moon  and 
two  balloon  guitars.  These,  with  some  flutes,  make  it  impossible 
to  comprehend  the  present  awful  quality  of  the  alleged  music  of 
the  Celestials,  for  they  seem  quite  capable  of  at  least  a  sem- 
blance of  harmony,  the  which  is  not  perceptible  in  the  modern 
Chinese  orchestra.  Some  of  these  forms  are  seen  in  the  Japanese 
collection,  with  others  more  rude  and  primitive,  such  as  violins 
with  a  single  string.  The  national  instrument  of  the  Mikado's 
people  is  called  a  koto,  and  recalls  a  sort  of  section  of  keyboard 
of  a  piano,  semi-circular,  with  a  dozen  or  more  strings,  and  these 
are  made  in  all  sizes.  Some  mo<uth  organs  are  here  and  xylo- 
phones, with  a  peculiar  flute  and  a  jewsharp,  made  of  bamboo. 

Corean  and  Indian  instruments  take  on  the  peculiar  weirdness 
of  these  races.  Rude  violins,  guitars  and  other  string  instru- 
ments here  have  few  apparent  musical  possibilities;  but  for 
quaintness,  note  here  a  sarungi,  or  Indian  violin,  with  sympa- 
thetic strings,  most  astonishingly  carved  and  inlayed,  quite 
original  in  every  way;  and  a  taus,  or  peacock  guitar,  is  scarcely 
less  bizarre,  while  a  vina,  which  consists  of  a  cross-piece  of  wood, 
laid  on  two  large  globes  as  big  as  pumpkins,  and  a  few  strings 
passing  the  length  of  the  cross-piece  is  no  less  interesting.  The 
decorations  on  these  instruments  are  curious  and  effective,  much 


MUSICAIv     INSTRUMENTS  207 

gold  being  used.  Sometimes  three  gourds  are  employed.  At 
others,  there  is  a  large  bowl  such  as  a  mandolin  possesses,  and 
there  is  much  elaboration  of  ornament.  From  Burmah  there  is  a 
boat-shaped  harp  of  unusual  design,  and  a  queer  instrument  in 
the  shape  of  an  alligator.  A  violin  here,  carved  out  of  black 
^ood,  with  brilliant  vermilion  keys  and  end  piece,  bespangled 
around  the  edges,  has  but  three  strings.  Fiddles  from  Siam  are 
not  suggestive  musically,  though  highly  entertaining  in  unusual 
shapes.  The  few  Russian  instruments  here  include  a  weird 
looking  bassoon  in  brass  in  the  shape  of  a  dragon's  head,  with 
open  mouth  and  staring  eyes;  a  large  lute  (torban),  with  a  set  of 
strings  on  one  side,  apparently  an  afterthought;  a  curious  bag- 
pipe of  skin,  and  some  drums,  with  a  few  rude  guitars  of  the  most 
primitive  description. 

The  Persian  instruments  are  beautifully  inlaid,  many  of  them 
with  mother-of-pearl,  and  two  dulcimers  bespeak  harmonies  in 
the  complete  arrangement  of  strings  and  sounding  boards.  Some 
members  of  the  tamboura  family,  with  but  few  strings,  including 
a  kermangeh  with  round  head,  give  less  promise  of  good  music, 
but  they  have  picturesque  qualities  that  make  them  interesting 
exhibition  objects;  and  the  Turkish  instruments  are  similar,  some 
quaint  bagpipes  being  notable.  From  Arabia  there  are  hand 
drums  and  remarkable  looking  violins,  castanets,  lutes  and 
stringed  pieces-  hard  to  classify  together,  with  the  Jewish  shofar, 
or  ram's  horn  trumpets,  such  as  date  away  back  to  remote  ages 
and  which  are  still  used  in  the  synagogues.  Algerian  pieces  are 
as  decorative  as  they  are  quaint.  Some  banjos,  done  up  in  red 
and  green,  a  tortoise  shell  guitar  and  a  wonderful  pair  of  violins 


208 


MUSICAL     INSTRUMENTS 


SEI,ANTAN   (JAVA). 

are  among  the  curiosities  here.  A  square  tambourine  is  unique 
and  a  violin  with  skin  is  unusual.  Egyptian  tamboura  from 
Cairo,  ablaze  with  many  colored  decorations,  and  small  lutes, 
scarcely  suggest  soft  melodies,  and  two  hand  drums  seem  to  have 
only  remote  possibilities  for  noise. 

The  collection  is  very  complete  in  the  matter  of  African  war 
horns.  These  include  many  kinds,  from  great  ivory  instruments 
stained  with  blood,  antelope  horns  beautifully  carved,  horns 
twisted  and  cut  in  many  weird  figures  or  of  beautifully  polished 
ivory,  to  delicately  wrought  affairs,  artistically  engraved.  But 
not  all  the  African  instruments  are  of  dainty  appearance,  and  the 
savage  element  is  not  lacking  in  many  of  the  exhibits.  A  num- 


MUSICAL     INSTRUMENTS  209 

her  of  zanzes  are  decidedly  curious.  They  consist  of  sticks  of 
iron  or  horn,  fastened  on  flat  boards  more  or  less  lightly,  and 
these  are  vibrated  or  shaken  to  produce  what  must  be  the  most 
rude  sort  of  sound.  A  keezee  is  of  a  similar  nature,  save  that  it  is 
mounted  on  a  hollow  box  with  an  opening.  There  is  a  marimba, 
which  is  a  sort  of  wooden  xylophone,  mounted  on  a  turtle's 
shell.  An  African  harp  resembles  nothing  so  much  as  a  banjo 
with  built-up  strings,  while  a  single-stringed  instrument  with  a 
gourd  body  is  graceless  and  perhaps  not  melodious. 

Some  African  violins  here  suggest  the  traveller's  sojourn 
there,  for  they  are  evidently  imitations  of  the  more  civilized  in- 
strument ;  but  a  harp,  or  lyre,  with  antelope  horns  and  a  human 
skull1  is  decidedly  original  and  gruesome.  Some  primitive  harps 
from  Senegambia,  one  especially  rude,  with  a  decoration  of  spots 
daubed  in  black,  are  curious  indeed.  From  Hawaii  there  are  a 
nose  flute,  a  two-string  fiddle,  hula  sticks  and  a  feather  hand-rat- 
tle, and  from  the  Philippine  Islands — Manila  itself  even — there 
are  some  rude  wind  instruments,  the  possibilities  of  which  are 
enough  to  dispel  all  ideas  of  territorial  aggrandizement.  A 
series  of  flutes  from  the  Pacific  Isles  is  interesting  in  its  variety, 
and  a  Japanese  harp  is  really  elaborate  in  its  make  and  decora- 
tion. Here  are  pan  pipes  from  the  South  Sea  Islands,  of  rude 
make  and  probably  ruder  noise,  and  there  are  mouth  harps, 
ornamented  with  bright  beads,  fiddles  and  flutes  from  Borneo, 
and  a  Malay  strinp-ed  instrument,  roughly  carved  out  of  wood. 

The  fragments  of  an  old  Roman  flute,  excavated  at  Cologne, 
lie  here  peacefully  beside  two  old  pottery  whistles  from  Spain, 
and  in  the  same  case  we  come  to  the  more  modern  flute  a  bee,  of 


210 


MUSICAL     INSTRUMENTS 


VIRGINAL   OR   DOUBLE   SPINET    (FLANDERS). 

the  seventeenth  century,  made  of  wood  and  ivory.  Here,  too, 
begin  the  modern  European  stringed  instruments,  and  there  may 
be  seen  two  remarkable  nail  violins,  made  to  be  played  with 
bows.  A  Mexican  guitar  has  an  armadillo  hide  for  its  body,  and 
an  ancient  lute  from  Greece  is  seemingly  made  from  a  shell,  and 
is  decorated  with  figures  in  white.  In  an  ancient  mandore,  or 
large  mandolin,  to  be  played  with  a  plectrum,  there  is  a  curiously 
carved  lot  of  woodwork  in  the  opening  and  much  inlaid  tortoise 
shell.  The  harps  here  are  unusual.  A  lute  harp  from  Italy,  a 
lyre  harp  from  France,  a  table  harp,  or  arpanetta  of  the  early 
eighteenth  century,  a  dital  harp  from  England,  an  Irish  harp, 
made  by  John  Eagan,  1819,  and  the  modern  harp  of  the  present 
time,  are  all  here  in  interesting  variety.  Beside  them  are  horns 
and  trumpets  even  more  varied.  Note  among  these  some  ser- 


MUSICAL     INSTRUMENTS  211 

pentine  horns  and  cornets  of  remarkable  shape  and  design,  with 
others  of  ivory  elaborately  carved. 

In  the  cases  with  the  spinnets  and  virginals  are  some  lap  or 
table  organs,  curiously  insufficient  to  our  requirements  now,  and 
there  is  an  Italian  affair  called  a  landifono,  with  a  pipe  to  be 
blown  by  the  player's  mouth  to  make  the  keys  sound.  A  quaint 
and  very  old  portative  organ,  decorated  in  blue  and  gold,  is 
from  Italy,  and  there  is  a  positive  organ,  quaint  and  rare,  from 
Germany.  Dates  unfortunately  are  not  obtainable  for  these.  Of 
various  spinnets  and  harpsichords,  there  are  many  beautifully 
preserved  specimens,  and  with  a  number  are  models  of  the  action. 
The  earliest  specimen  of  a  pianoforte  in  existence  is  claimed  to  be 
here,  in  the  shape  of  the  Bartholomaeus  de  Christophoris  Pata- 
vinus  (Bartolommeo  Christofori)  made  in  Florence  in  1726.  It 
is  one  of  two  grand  pianos  in  four  and  one-half  octaves.  It  was 
somewhat  restored  in  1875,  and  it  is  one  of  the  great  prizes  of 
the  collection.  There  are  some  most  interesting  harpsichords 
here  and  spinnets  of  quaint  appearance.  One  made  by  Haward, 
1684,  is  pathetic  in  its  old-timiness.  A  double  spinnet  made  in 
1600  by  Grovvelus,  is  highly  ornamented  with  paintings  and 
inlays.  There  is  an  English  piano  of  1800;  another,  undated,  is 
by  Clementi;  an  early  Vienna  instrument  by  Andre  Stein  is  also 
undated,  and  of  the  two  American  pianos,  one  is  by  John  Tall- 
man,  of  New  York,  and  the  other  is  by  Charles  Albrecht,  of 
Philadelphia. 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  the  whole  world,  civilized  and  savage, 
has  been  laid  under  tribute  to  furnish  a  practical  history  of  the 
rise  and  progress  of  music.  The  visitor  may  wander  about  and 


212 


MUSICAL     INSTRUMENTS  . 


at  little  trouble  acquaint  himself  with  all  the  various  methods 
employed  to  make  melodies  or  discords  since  mankind  has  been 
occupied  with  thoughts  of  music;  some  of  these  ruder  instru- 
ments, though  awakening  doubts  of  their  ability  to  soothe  the 
savage  breast,  suggest  unlimited  possibilities  for  softening  rocks, 
or  bending  knotted  oaks. 


CI.AY   TRUMPET    (SOUTH    AMERICA). 


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